Who are these babies pictured -so happy {and tan}? Man, they look insanely happy, don’t they?
This picture was snapped just days after we returned from our honeymoon. We are celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary today. Fourteen years is a pretty good run.
Here is what I know after 14 years:
1. I would still pick the same guy.
2. If you didn’t receive {birthday, Valentine, etc} cards before you were married, it is never going to happen.
3. Saying nothing is sometimes the best course of action.
4. Getting the last word isn’t important, as long as, deep down, you know you are 100% correct.
5. Just let me be in charge. It works better that way.
Love you babe! Can’t imagine navigating this crazy world without you.
You may have been wondering, “Where is June?” While I am still in constant search of the most excellent version of myself, I am still here. Here and well. Sorry to have disappeared. I can feel the weight of winter being lifted. Spring brings optimism and lightness, literally and figuratively.
I spent this winter reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. While certainly not a new book, I had not read it. I love how it focuses on finding what is good in your life, changing up habits that don’t serve you or those around you, and clearing space to simply be happy. I appreciate how the author clearly states that she was not unhappy before launching her happiness project. She really just wanted to be appreciative and present in her every day. I 100% understand.
I am blessed with a lovely life. Truly. But I do find myself wondering, “What now?” I seem to be wondering a lot lately. If I was having coffee with my 20 year-old self, I would urge her to follow her dreams. Dreams are big and plentiful when we are starting out. The runway is long. Options endless. Follow your dreams. However, as middle age creeps in the dreaming is so very different. More complicated I guess. What are my dreams at forty? I’m not afraid to follow my dreams, I just don’t know what they are exactly. Does that make any sense?
So while I quietly decide what happens next, I return to this creative space. A space that is all mine, which I am happy to share with all of you!
I just launched the kids back-to-school and I sit alone in my kitchen. Dishes to do, a Christmas tree to dismantle, a to-do list a mile long, and yet I feel calm. It is strangely bizarre, but I always feel so much better when the calendar flips from December to January. I have posted before about the doldrums that hit me in October. {Last year, they lasted all the way through Spring.} But there is something about 2-weeks to recharge-with little to no responsibilities that puts a pep back in my step!
I am not making any resolutions, because I feel like they are always attached to some sort of guilt. The world doesn’t need more people feeling guilty. Our world needs happy, fulfilled people loving life and those around them! While I DO NOT make resolutions, I do make lists!
Things I would love in 2015:
opportunities to step outside my comfort zone, great books to read, new adventures with my kids, to catch a sunrise on a stand-up paddle board, completed house projects, a dip in the Caribbean Sea, time alone, a snowy night with a roaring fire, chances to see my boys shine, a weekend get-away with my husband, salty sea air, blemish-free skin, a road trip with my girls, to witness goodness, boisterous meals with friends, a run in Central Park, a Super Bowl repeat, a carefree summer, strong arms and a toned tummy.
This seems like a ridiculous question right? Well, I must ponder this very deliberately because it is a real dilemma for me. You see, I dropped my phone about 3 weeks ago and it has been a roller coaster since then. The shattered screen was replaced, only to have seemingly set off a domino effect. First Siri would no longer chat with me. The mic/camera was then replaced. The new screen then glitched and blinked every time I touched it. The latest screen {Yes! That would be screen #3} worked for 2 hours. Two beautiful hours. Currently my phone works {most of the time} except for the bottom left corner. Why is this important you ask? Well, that is the corner for the number shift command -including punctuation and symbols on your keyboard. That I am almost willing to live with, since I can still use voice command to insert those characters. It is also where most ‘home’ commands are in most apps. Also annoying!
However, I am mostly sad about the emojis. Those darling little characters that make me smile every day! Sometimes one emoji can replace words altogether.
So my big decision is whether or not to send my phone to CA to be repaired. My gut says to just live with it. And then I wonder….Can I live without emojis?
LESSONS LEARNED:
1. Don’t check Instagram while on a walk.
2. Buy AppleCare
3. Take your shattered phone to the Apple store no matter what!
**In all honesty, it is just a phone. It is miniscule on the scale of real problems. It is just such a damn hassle.
I celebrated my 4oth birthday this summer and wanted to share with you one of my favorite details! A year ago, I wore a temporary tattoo to Aaron’s birthday party with his name on it. He thought is was fun and I thought I was bad ass-and so began my obsession! For my birthday party, I ordered temporary tattoos for my girlfriends from Pepper Ink. I couldn’t wait to share my love of ink with my girls! We all wore feathers on our right arms for the night! It was such a fun way to kick off a new decade. Who says forty is middle aged? We are just hitting our stride! Hello, Forty.
I found Pepper’s Etsy shop and have been wearing her tattoos off and on for about a year. The quality of the tattoos are amazing and you can literally not tell they are temporary. I also use the Liquiskin Tattoo Shine Remover, which eliminates the shine of the temporary tattoo-making it look virtually real. Pepper’s tattoos last well over a week, which is incredible! I love that I can change my tattoo with my mood, my outfit, or the season.
I am 99.9% sure you will love wearing a temporary tattoo. Even if it is a tiny heart on your wrist. Give it a try! Pepper is offering Where is June? readers 25% off any order through her Etsy shop {excluding wedding favors}. Awesome! Simply visit her shop, Pepper Ink, and enter the code WHEREISJUNE at checkout. I promise you will like yourself in a tattoo. You have nothing to lose! {These would make awesome stocking stuffers, too! It’s never too early to shop.}
I went to work yesterday. For the first time in almost eight years, I got up {early}, showered, got dressed and worked outside of my home. Here’s the bonus: I made some money! In a former life I was an elementary school teacher and yesterday I spent my day with delightful third graders. I was their substitute. You know what? It was kinda awesome. To be honest, I didn’t know if I would like it. I didn’t really have any expectations. At my first break I sent a text to Aaron: “So far so good! Kids are at recess. It has been a super fun morning.”
For now, I decided to work two days a week. No need to rush anything and I wasn’t sure how my three boys were going to adjust. Specifically, the biggest one. Home is my domain in every sense of the word. Aaron and I have settled into very traditional roles. Remember that modern-day house wife thing? That isn’t just a catchy phrase. I am the real deal baby! In a slow release of control, I simply asked Aaron to get the kids school. He gladly accepted, but shuddered a bit when I told him next week he would also be making lunches.
Wouldn’t you know that on my first day back at work, Little Man would run a fever at school and need to come home. Par for the course around here. Through a comedy of errors, the office was unable to reach me {my phone was on silent} or Aaron {he has a new cell number}. Thankfully a friend on Little Man’s emergency contact list was able to hunt Aaron’s number down, relay it to school, and daddy came to the rescue. The greatest thing? This all happened without me. I didn’t have chance to check my phone until lunch and by then it was all sorted out. My husband totally rocked it today. He put his day on hold, took care of his baby boy, and never once needed my help. Well done, sir. We’ve got this.
“We are all in this together.” If you are long time reader, you will know this as my favorite quote. For the last eight years I have tried to live it. Parenting is truly the hardest job on earth and we all need help every now and then. My time at home has afforded me the luxury of not having to juggle schedules, worry about child care or stress about who will pick up my sick child from school. Lucky for me I have been able to do this for friends from time to time. Being a supportive friend will continue to be a guiding force in my life. Although in the weeks to come, I may be the one who needs to ask for a favor.
So, hats off to the girls who run a household, lovingly raise their children and forge amazing careers outside the home. How about a round of applause for the women who make a home, cherish their kids, volunteer at school, take extras in the carpool, and step up in a time of crisis for a friend? And can I get an AMEN for all the friends who answer the phone and say, “Yep, no problem.”?
Best thing about working part-time? I’m back at home today nursing the little one back to health, packing for a big family weekend away, and updating the emergency contacts at the boys’ school. Love each other today. We all need it! xoxo
After yesterday’s sort of heavy post, I decided to lighten things up a bit today. It is inspired by a Vogue Video interview. A quick-paced, lighthearted interview with one of my favorite stars, Sarah Jessica Parker. 73 questions with simple answers. For fun, I answered the same questions below. {Well, most of them.}
How long have you lived in the area? 12 1/2 years.
What is your favorite season in Seattle? SUMMER!
What is your favorite activity in Seattle? Anything involving the water.
Would you ever leave? Maybe. Never say never.
What are 3 words to describe Seattle? Green. True. Diverse.
What is your favorite movie? Good Will Hunting
Favorite movie in the past 5 years? American Hustle
Favorite TV show that is currently on? Mad Men.
A book I plan on reading? The Eye Has to Travel.
A book that positively shaped me? Lord of the Flies.
A book you read in school that you never think of? As I Lay Dying.
On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about life? 9.5
iPhone or Android? iPhone
Twitter or Instagram? Instagram
Vine or Snapchat? Neither.
Favorite downtown restaurant? Revel {Seattle}.
Least favorite food? Oysters.
Favorite drink. Moscow Mule
Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Milk chocolate
Hardest part of being a mom? Stopping myself from rescuing my boys.
Favorite band? Mumford and Sons
Favorite lyrics? Love your curves and all your edges. Your perfect imperfections.
Which instrument would you like to master? Guitar
Where would you get a tattoo? My right shoulder blade.
Dogs or cats? Neither.
Dolphins or koalas? Dolphins.
Bird watching or whale watching? Whale watching.
Historical person you would like to have coffee with? Diana Vreeland
What is the last gift you gave? A Nintendo 3DS game and a Minecraft keychain.
How do you like your coffee? Short Americano with room.
Favorite curse word? Sh*t.
Favorite board game? Pictionary.
A country you wish to visit? Italy {eeek!}
Favorite color? Coral.
Least favorite color? Beige.
What color was your prom dress? Red.
Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.
Heels or flats? Heels.
Blow dry or air dry? Air dry.
Jogging or swimming? Jogging.
Pilates or yoga? Barre.
Favorite way to decompress? Lay in the sun.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Telekinesis
Now, hear SJP answer the same questions and get a peek into her home. It is worth watching!
While writing my blog must still be considered a hobby-since I don’t receive any income from it-during the last year I shifted thinking of it as much more. People do this kind of thing full-time and make a living. Here’s what I know. I love doing it! How great would it be if this was my job? It has inspired me to learn new skills, push through fear, sit with disappointment, and appreciate support. I have running lists in my head of posts and ideas. Writing and creating content is my most favorite thing to do during the week. I adore what I do.
Like in any industry there are super stars. Recently, I felt myself being envious of these rockin’ chicks, who seem to have it all going on. HUGE partnerships with companies, travel opportunities, photo shoots, free designer loot, and on and on. I was throwing myself little, daily pity parties. Yuck. Then I checked myself. Jealousy green doesn’t look good on me, even on St. Patrick’s Day. That shit {pardon me for actually spelling out a 4-letter word} will get me no where. Gave that up somewhere in my 30’s and I am NOT going back. So, I began leaving comments on my favorite bloggers’ posts wishing them well and complimenting them on a job well done. Put good out into the world feels so much better.
I also forced myself to do the same for Where is June. I listed my blogging accomplishments since last July. It was such an empowering exercise. And here’s the thing-writing a blog makes no difference unless someone reads it. It might only be eighty people on a given day, but I have readers that are lovely, caring and supportive. A few of them joined me yesterday in my home for a little thank you party. My plan was to take pictures and share with you the details- but I didn’t snap one photo. And I am glad I didn’t. I was thoroughly enjoying the amazing women that came to celebrate. In our social media age, life and blogs often appear gorgeous and perfect through a lens. However, the party and fun happen when you put the phone down and are part of the moment. You don’t need a 4×4 picture to let you know you are fun, beautiful, and how very lucky you are!
So, a huge heartfelt thank you and a big {hot pink} kiss from me to you. Keep reading and share the love. xoxo
**As another thank you, if you place an order of $100 or more from my Where is June? {loves} Stella & Dot trunk show, my dear friend Regan will add the Cleopatra studs {one of my favorites} as an extra special gift.
You can read a lot about a person by looking at their boards on Pinterest. I find this graphic so interesting and TRUE! Pinterest boards tell a visual story about you as person. Your interests, passions, projects and dreams are presented to the world through images. Maybe that is why I love it so much. What do my boards say about me? I am passionate about cooking, inspired by color, interested in design, dreaming of a new kitchen, love being a girl, planning for a trip to Italy, and obsessed with neon lights. Yep, pretty much!
Have you ever thought of Pinterest in such a personal way? Now I want to edit all my boards’ cover pictures so they beautiful and inspiring.
What do your boards say about you?
Do you Pinterest? Follow me! Or just check out a few of my favorite boards:
Yesterday the Internet was down at our house all day. (Winds and a very large tree proved too much for little cable lines.) I had grand plans to get ahead of the game yesterday, but instead I found myself idle.
No streaming Pandora music, no editing pictures with an online tool, no new posts, no searching Pinterest for inspiration, no access to sign up my boys for baseball, no sending email to a teacher, no searching for new recipes or airline flights. Nope.
So, after a few moments of bewilderment, I remembered there is plenty to do that doesn’t involve my computer. I listened to my own playlists, spent time reading my stack of magazines, made cookies, folded clothes, made a pot of tea, cleaned out a junk drawer, and filled a bag for donation.
It was an incredibly, enjoyable afternoon. I am certain I should do it more often. Just push away from the computer, leave my phone in my purse, and fill my time with activities that don’t involve a screen. We expect our kids to do it, don’t we? My computer is in my kitchen, so I always have access to it. Even though I am not sitting in front of it all of the time, I will just “jump on for a minute” to check this or that. Wow! That is kind of scary, isn’t it? I am adding to my list of things I would love in 2014: Less time wasted in front of my computer.
So, what activities do you LOVE to do when you aren’t “connected”? I am eager to hear. What do you do with idle {screen free} time at home?
