The Home Library – Alaska Edition

I think this is now the third iteration of my home library that I’ve shared on here (3rd or 4th I can’t recall) and this one is my favorite of them all. I don’t know if I’ll ever have this set up, this perfection again, so I firmly plan on being here every single day (and I have been so far). But first, let’s go back and see through the years how the home library has existed in our various houses…

The 1st edition (the one I don’t know if I shared or not) was known as the wall of books. And was simply, a wall of books. It was dreamy in its own way (I mean who wouldn’t want to just have a wall of books), but there wasn’t much seating within the books- the chair was opposite- and it was also in the office- so lots of other things happened instead of reading. 

The 2nd edition was the first corner set up. It was where I first started becoming “Belle”. It didn’t have a chair within the library itself, but it was moldable, and I would move the boy’s little nugget in, I would re arrange easily, and it became our Hogwarts library of dreams when we did the hanging candles from the ceiling. It was my first chance to start seeing what I’d like in a library and what I don’t need. 

The 3rd edition was the shortest of them all- our one year in Texas. Another corner shelf set up, though we added a lamp, had the chair in the library, and had a separate area for library books. This was a great set up- I learned that I absolutely need a lamp (multiple would be nice if possible) and I placed a speaker on one of the shelves- which was a great addition. 

Finally, here we are this 4th edition. You will be able to see why I won’t be able to top this one- it’s an absolute dream. I’ve got a cushioned window seat, the wall of books, but still two corners, the chair and lamp within the library, but also plenty of space to host/bring in more cushions for the kids to read too. It’s dreamy in all the best ways and I really truly plan on spending a little bit of time here every day.

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Hello from Alaska

Hello! I’m not even going to begin this post with a sorry or an explanation or anything of the sort. Life got hectic and as I’ve said, as much as I love the blog, it’s the first to go. 

Some updates- we now live in Alaska! We made the drive from El Paso, TX to Fairbanks, AK over 11 days in July. It was a long, beautiful drive that we are very happy to have behind us. I’ll throw some pictures up here so you can see some of what we saw and enjoyed about the drive. (If you’re interested in a whole post of our trip and our itinerary, I’d be happy to do that- just let me know! The below pictures or only a fraction of what we have)

We are in our new house, though living minimally while we are still waiting for our things to be delivered (though hopefully once you’re reading this, we will be in the thick of boxes and figuring things out). I can’t wait to share some of our spaces- I’ve got big plans for this home!

We’re slowly starting to settle into our new community- I’m taking a role within our local spouse’s club, have already dropped in to the USO, and have the next school PTO meeting on my calendar. I do plan on joining the workforce in some capacity during our time here, but finding the right fit will be key as my husband will be back in his normal job world and things will ramp up on his end once again. 

As far as upcoming posts, I actually have a surprising amount of travel posts from the past year to still write up and post- so those will be going up. A lot of travel, some home/lifestyle, and then once our home is set up, I’ll be sharing some bits from there (the library of course). Next week I’ll have my reading update from both June and July. 

We’re really looking forward to this chapter- Alaska already feels so much like home for us. 

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A Little Life Lately

Boy oh boy May has really struck. I know by now we all know the comparison of May to December, but I would hazard that May is almost busier/worse than December. Not only are the events FULL with the end of the year, sports, and such, BUT we also contend with the fact that we are looking right at summer often with our eyes half closed because we are so tired from all the things happening in May. It’s already warming up (well maybe- depending on where you are, it sure is here) and often times we are looking at some sort of something over the summer. For us, it’s a move, others it may just be kids at home all day every day. 

Somehow, I thought that by not doing sports for this one year, May would be kinder to us. I was wrong. Sure, we didn’t have to shuffle to sports after school, but my days have been cram packed full of things- from doctor appointments to physical therapy, to USO, to school bookfair and other school meetings. It seems like it hasn’t come to an end, until here we are at the end of May and my “I won’t be able to write for the first two weeks of May have turned into a whole month. Where did it go? (Yes, I am having a mini crisis over the fact that the month has seemingly ended by the time you are reading this and the day that I am writing this is one month away from our leave this state date.)

So, I thought what we could do today is have a little catch-up moment. A lot has happened this month (and last) that I’ve been semi sharing, but not really. 

First up, I injured my back mid-April. It’s been something that’s been coming for a long time (apparently my x-rays and MRI’s share quite the story) and it finally happened. What I wasn’t entirely prepared for was the sheer length of time healing is, what healing looks like, and how much a back injury truly affects you. I was in excruciating pain (I’m talking labor and worse levels) for several weeks while we tried to figure out what/where the problem was (and during this time I had some…practitioner issues as well) and then we’re still in the stage of figuring out medication. The pain has died down from the immediacy of the nerve pain, but I’m dealing with numbness. Physical Therapy is a joy (said with sarcasm), but we’re doing the thing, and a nerve test is imminent. 

The thing with your back is that it really just…handles all the things. So, when you injure it in any capacity (and I have before, but never to this level) it takes you out. It also takes a lot longer to heal. Being sidelined is not something I am good at. And honestly, I hit some really low moments, lowest I’ve had since I was post-partum with my first. I had some really big reality checks, still continue to have them, and I’m trying to stay positive and work my way through it. 

While that was ongoing, we had all the school things- the book fair, end of year planning for the PTA, end of school year meetings AND my older son had a truly terrifying event that the school wildly mishandled. I will not be going into details on that but know that my mama bear went wild and the level of stress that was going down over one situation for both me and my child was…a lot. It’s been handled at this point, and I’ve had several phone and in person meetings to ensure steps are taken so it doesn’t happen to any other children. 

And then, because we are just full of things, as I mentioned at the start, we are moving! We are moving out of El Paso and Texas, and we are headed off to ALASKA! Couldn’t get any further if we tried haha. We are incredibly excited for this next adventure (we picked it after all) and are very ready to head up north. There’s a lot I’m already planning for being up there and a lot to look forward to. 

While I can’t say that this has been our favorite place we’ve ever been (in fact the complete opposite), I do feel like we’ve made the best of it and accomplished a lot. We traveled through Arizona, Texas, and parts of New Mexico. I took on new opportunities both within our school PTA and through the USO. Our kids learned what “hot” truly is and how to handle tough situations. I’ve made so many good friendships here with women- I truly feel like I have experienced that “sisterhood” feeling that extends beyond my own small group of friends. I’m leaving here not a different person, but with more tools, information, and experiences under my belt. 

And so, content will resume. I have so many things that I have posted about, all the nature we’ve experienced/hikes we’ve done, some of our recent travels haven’t made it to the blog yet, and of course all the books I’ve been reading (I’m AHEAD of my goal!!). More to come- more to come 

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Rainy Days with Redfin!

Check out the recent Redfin article we were featured in: 

There’s something so comforting about a rainy day indoors; the rhythmic sound of raindrops, the cozy glow of warm lighting, the perfect excuse to slow down. But once the novelty wears off, cabin fever inevitably sets in, leaving you staring out the window, wondering how to make the most of the day.

Whether you’re keeping little ones entertained in your Richmond, VA home, embracing a slow morning in your San Francisco, CA apartment, or trying something new in your rental home in Austin, TX, these rainy-day activities at home will give you the perfect escape. Keep reading and let the storm rage on.

Rainy Day Activities at Home: 10 Ways to Enjoy the Gloom | Redfin

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On Springs Arrival

I’m writing this on the first day of Spring (you’re reading it the day after). It’s a truly beautiful day out here in the desert that is southwest Texas. I’m not sure where I’m going with this post, just sharing some thoughts and musings (mostly to break up the travel posts as I have 3 more of those still to go). 

Spring and Autumn are my favorite seasons. There’s just something about those transitional seasons that touches my soul. Maybe because I always feel like we are in a state of transition (or maybe because I always feel like I am coming out of the depths of something haha) or maybe it’s just the sign of change- of new things to come, a fresh moment, the beginning and ending of things. 

This Spring we are very much in a stage of transition- in every aspect of life. We are moving over the summer (yes- again), we are revamping our home, revamping wardrobes, we are having new experience, trying to figure out what this next phase of life is going to be. 

(Wow- that sounded so dramatic, but really it isn’t all that)

We spent Spring Break in Arizona, a place that I firmly believe can be a secret oasis. After spending so much of the past 9 months in true desert, seeing life, seeing greenery, experiencing different weather- it was a balm to our souls (who would have thought after 3 years of serious snow I would get excited over snow?!). 

(Again- sounds dramatic- very much is, and very much captures our feelings)

With Spring rolling in slowly (I see you friends in upstate NY); we all get to feel like we’re coming back to life. Much like nature and animals, we all hibernate to an extent in the Winter. In fact- did you know we are supposed to get more sleep in the Winter than in Summer. Our bodies do follow the seasons (much like other cycles) and adjust accordingly. And now, with the weather shifting, the temperature warming up, the daylight getting longer, and we all feel better for it. Kind of like that trend of “I didn’t believe in seasonal depression until I went outside on a sunny day and x temperature”. 

I will be honest; it simultaneously feels and doesn’t feel like Spring here in the desert. The trees are starting to leaf up and bloom and the temperatures have gone from 50’s/60’s to high 80’s almost overnight. We get the drastic 40 degree jumps between morning and afternoon. BUT it’s still so brown- nary a flower in sight! While I feel like I am coming back to life with all the Spring things, it very much feels like my surroundings are still stuck in the same landscape that never changes. 

As someone who lives for the fields of wildflowers, the planted rose gardens, the wild fields of grass- this has been a massive adjustment over the past 9 months, and I haven’t felt it nearly as much as I have coming into this Spring season. 

(You must think I hate it here- but I don’t entirely. It’s presented its challenges while we’ve been here and the dust storms are an absolute nightmare, and I’m very ready to move, but I don’t HATE it here.)

All those words to say- I am very ready to welcome Spring. I am ready for life to “begin again” and to see what the next few months bring. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Travels – Corpus Christi, TX

I don’t know if I should really write this post or not- we really went down to Corpus Christi to see my Sister-In-Law who lives there with her family. It was a lot of family time and not as much seeing all the things (which is what we wanted and what we loved). It was also a time for us to see a couple of friends from prior duty locations, we had one living in the area and the other (my best friend from NY) who was in town visiting her own family. It meant a great reuniting for the kids and adults alike. So, I’ll share the couple things we did and the history we learned, but it won’t’ be as long as my normal travel posts are (and maybe that’s a good thing!). 

The main tourist attraction we visited in Corpus Christi was the USS Lexington. Where do I begin?

The USS Lexington is a carrier ship that was commissioned in 1943. She was the oldest working carrier when she was decommissioned in 1991. Originally named USS Cabot she was renamed upon being commissioned when the original carrier carrying the name USS Lexington was sunk. The USS Lexington joined the ships at Pearl Harbor as part of the Central Pacific Force. During World War II the Lexington served 21 months in combat, serving in every major operation in the Pacific Theater. Manned by 3,000 members during World War II (1550 Men and Women regularly), they destroyed 372 airborne enemy aircraft, 475 grounded aircraft, destroyed 300,000 tons of enemy cargo, and damaged 600,000 tons more AND downed 15 planes. During World War II she earned the nickname “The Blue Ghost” as she continued to return to the fight after being reported sunk. After World War II the Lexington was decommissioned, then reactivated to San Diego to assist with the tensions with Cuba, Laos, and Formosa. She then sailed to Pensacola and was designated a Naby Training Carrier. The USS Lexington is now permanently housed at Corpus Christi and is open for tours and various events. 

Some fun facts for you about the carrier. The USS Lexington was the first aircraft carrier to allow women to serve onboard. The Lexington served as a filming location for Midway in 1975, AND for the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor where she was altered to play a Japanese Carrier and the USS Hornet (which they do have a display for). Ghost Hunters filmed an episode aboard the Lexington, as did Ghost Lab. 

It was a really fun way to spend a morning- we were able to climb into several spots, see a lot of the ship (I was surprised at how much access we had), and the collection of planes and helicopters was really cool. All in all, I would recommend at least visiting one or two of the Naval Ship Museums. They are really cool and give a good insight into what life would be like on the ship. 

The other thing we did while in Corpus Christi was head down to the beach for a long walk along the water. The beaches in Corpus are really nice and easily accessible and you are able to see a high amount of wildlife. While in Corpus we were able to see the normal hermit crabs and jellyfish (keep a wide birth- even on shore), but we also got to see dolphins (a mom teaching her baby!), and sea turtles. 

That was really it for tourist-y things we did! The majority of our time was spent soaking up some much needed family time. 

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Where do I even begin?

I don’t want to come on here and go- oh look I’m back (again)! Because I feel like that’s fake…that’s wrong…I’ve done that so many times before. The truth is, when life picks up this tends to be the first thing that falls off. It’s not intentional, just a fact of life at this point unfortunately. 

And then I always find myself wanting to find a balance- I want to share all the things, but I don’t want to talk about things or have them go the wrong way. Which is funny because in “the real world” I tend to have some pretty vocal opinions and thoughts. But the internet is such a fickle place- you can’t read intention, you can’t read facial expressions, you can’t read my tone, you just read my words and interpret them through your own lens of life. 

And then the new year came. And with this new year we will be moving, and life will be in a bit of an upheaval for a time. And I also haven’t been feeling very “new year hoorah” this new year. Maybe it’s because much of 2024 and 2025 are transient (and I don’t mean that in the strictest sense, more so in the sense that a lot of it is up in the air and we’re just rolling with life). 

And then I read all of that back and I just think…why? What’s the point of that? It all sounds so melodramatic and unnecessary. The life of an overthinker, over analyzer. 

Oh, and I’m doing all of this while trying to backup all my tens of thousands of photos on my computer so I can add more thousands of photos so I can clear up space and catch up on life on here… The little photo app keeps popping up errors of duplicates and I keep pressing ok and trying to type while the boys run amok on the last two days of Holiday Break…I mean if this doesn’t describe my life at the present- well the massive run on sentence of this paragraph sure will. 

So, what am I actually saying? What is actually going through my head? That’s a good question. 

I want to come back- slowly, tentatively, intentionally. I want to start sharing more of my “real world” thoughts and opinions. I want to share more of what I am doing (as it’s been a lot). I want to share more of what I’m seeing, what my thoughts are on that, where I fall in the status quo. 

Ultimately, I want to start laying the online groundwork of what I’ve been doing in the “real world”. I don’t really know why, but I feel like I can do MORE a lot of times and I want to do MORE and so I’m going to try. I want to share fluff, talk nonsense, talk pop culture, but I also want to talk about real issues, about ****hides**** political issues ****she said it****, about issues military families can face, about issues that occur in other countries. I want to talk books, I want to talk travel, I want to talk LIFE. 

I want to talk about my favorite reads of the month or year, about putting together a galantines basket, hosting a book club, hosting an event, and also about what I experience volunteering with the USO, what I see for struggles in our community, about how oppression occurs throughout the world (and isn’t limited to the groups we loudly talk about), about how hypocritical politics has become. All the facets of LIFE. 

So, here I am going to go- dipping my toe in. Please bear with me as I figure out blogging and posting again. And- as always, if you want to see day to day or real time or other fun things, you can follow me on IG, TikTok (for now), Facebook, Goodreads (I’m on some other book apps if you’d like to follow me there I can share those too), and I’m sure I’ll join whatever will replace TikTok if the inevitable does in fact happen. 

Oh look- my photos from 2016 have exported to my portable hard drive (yes that’s how long it’s been). Off I go back to the photo world. 

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Rosh Hashanah 5785

Let’s be honest, I didn’t know if I was going to write this post. Honest. I didn’t know how to share the happiness, the joy, the celebration that is a new year while there is so much hatred, so much loss, so much heartbreak and anger. But, as I was sitting here getting ready for Chag (it’s currently 9:35 on October 2), I was just so overwhelmed, so moved and I wanted to get some of my words out. 

This year has undoubtedly been one of the hardest. Not to be Jewish- being Jewish is the easiest thing in the world, like breathing, but to exist in a world that wants to see Jews no longer. I know that sounds harsh, but that is the blunt honest reality we are living in. I have never in my life seen such vitriol, such pretzel twisting to make the Jewish people (and their state) the oppressors, such rewriting of history. It has been shocking. 

5784 was a tough one, probably one of the toughest we’ve experienced in a long time (and that is saying something), but it wasn’t all bad. 

Such unity, such embrace, such joy in simply existing, in being alive, in our blessings and protections from above in our faith and community. If it has been heartbreaking and horrifying to see outside the world, it has been heartwarming and comforting to see within our community. 

As we wander into these high holidays (some of the most important in our calendar) I know that we will be both celebrating, holding space for those no longer here, and also waiting with a small amount of bated breath- what next. But above all, we will be praying. Praying for ourselves, our families, our friends, our community, the hostages, the displaced, and our community as a whole. 

For me personally, 5784 was a tough one, but I am looking forward to 5785; to this fresh start, new beginning, and a lightness that I just feel is coming our way. I feel like it is going to be a bit of a transitional year on a personal level. I am doing a lot of looking, not necessarily just inward, but also at our larger community (and not even just the Jewish community). I am trying to once again find my place in it, find where I can do the best, and really strive to make an impact. 

There is a lot our world needs right now, but I believe at the core, we need to hold kindness in our hearts and in our words. I think we need to hold cooler heads, more abilities to listen and engage, and that these will allow for real meaningful change to happen. It’s a big ask, it’s a dreamer’s words, and sometimes it really seems impossible. To that, I think the best place to start is with kindness. Kindness opens doors, allows for cooler heads, and shows us a path forward. So, with that, my word this year is going to be Chesed (which is much much more than just kindness, but it embodies the feeling that I want to bring to this year).  

I hope this year brings peace, kindness, warmth, and joy to all of our lives. 

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Initial Thoughts on Texas

We’ve been in Texas now for a little over a month and it’s…surprised us. I figured I’d round up some of our initial…thoughts as well as some of the things we’ve done. We are only here (maybe) for a year, so we’re in a “hit the ground running” headspace, but also trying to make sure we don’t burn out with everything else going on. 

Initial Thought #1: The Heat

We are in the very southwest edge of Texas, which basically means we are in the desert, and yes, it is very hot here. And yes, it can definitely be miserable (that afternoon walk to pick the boys up from school is BRUTAL), but it’s also not as bad as we thought it would be. Since it’s the desert it’s a dry heat, aka no humidity, which means that you’re baking, but you’re not in a sauna. You don’t feel all the wetness and stickiness in the air combined with your own sweat. The good news is I’m making great use of all the sundresses! They’re one of the few things that are bearable to wear in the heat- loose & flowy & breezy.

Now, while the heat isn’t that bad, the bigger problem is that bright orange ball in the sky that provides the heat. There is very little in the form of cloud cover here. In fact, on the way home we take the route with the most tree shade- just for the half a second relief it provides. There is very little relief from the sun, and while there can be a breeze it’s very much a come and go situation. It’s enough to tease you but leave you and remind you just how hot it can be. 

Initial Thought #2: Things to Do

We’ve found no shortage of things to do here- from hiking, to shopping, to dining, and more! Not to mention, it’s not too far for us to travel (we’ve already got a trip planned and booked out, with a second in the works). I’m starting to possibly find my little community here; between a book club and a couple social clubs it’s keeping me busy and I’m hoping to start volunteering within our community soon! Um, also (not quite in the things to do category, but still) the people here are so nice?! I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so many compliments in such a short period of time before (and no…ahem I’m trying to not let it go to my head haha). 

We’ve already done two hikes here (and another walk), attended a baseball game (we’ve got Triple A Baseball here), as well as driven around quite a bit. We’ve had true hole in the wall Mexican food (which was what I was looking forward to) and have so many plans at this point it’s going to be fun pinpointing what we do next! Our own personal activity levels for the whole family have already increased just to walking to/from school (riding the bike for my husband) several times a day. That and the fact that the location makes it easy to do hikes and bike rides (other than having to get up before the sun to beat the heat). 

Overall Thoughts: 

I’ve always approached every move trying to find the positive, the good things about each spot. I find that it helps make the daunting task of moving so frequently be a little easier. I’m not going to lie, while I was never truly dreading this move, I was always a little apprehensive. I was worried about the heat, the length of time we would be here, the schools, etc. But what I’ve found has truly surprised me and my husband. The fact that we’ve already really enjoyed our time here says a lot (not to mention our personal fitness and health will be trending very positively here haha). I’m truly looking forward to what the next 10-11 months will bring us, rather than wondering what will come next after we leave here. 

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Hello? Is anyone out there? It’s me, Mia…

Man, this is feels weird, but we’re going to just try and roll with it? I haven’t been here on the blog in a minute- or like a year. To be honest, we were in a “don’t add anything extra to our plate” patch of life. A lot of things happened at once- I started a contract job, my husband deployed, the kids were in the start of school (and I mean beyond just Kindergarten, but when things really start to click and things require a bit more attention and conversation), we were inundated with some up in the air life changes, lots of sports and, honestly, just general life. I went from having my partner, my love, to juggling a lot more on my own than originally anticipated.

But it’s ok! We made it through, we could almost consider the idea that we thrived, and we are on the other side. The kids handled the deployment (and mommy suddenly working) like the champs they are, and they’ve handled all the subsequent changes post deployment and working mom life incredibly well. 

We’ve relocated. As with the military, we move every three years or so. This year we are in Texas for the year as my husband attends a school (which should hopefully mean lots of family time and some traveling), and as for what’s next? Well, that’s anyone’s guess (though not really- we’ll start to have some ideas, but nothing set in stone for a long while yet). 

I mentioned that I headed back to work the past year- which was so good for me in so many ways. I took a contract position (though I could debate that for a long while) in the same unit my husband works in. I had a long list of things I did and what fell into my purview, but it could be summed up as helping soldiers and families with information and resources. (That makes it neat and tidy, right?). I learned so much, both in terms of the job and in terms of myself and I’m not a bit…adrift maybe? I won’t be working while we are here in Texas, but in the future, I want to find a way to do the same sort of work that I did for the past year. This job was so fulfilling for me in so many ways because at its core it was identifying issues, assisting families and soldiers, and trying to make a difference on a small scale. While I would love to make a difference on a much larger scale, I truly believe in those small acts, those small things having a larger impact. 

What else to share? What else to talk about? I feel so rusty at this…

My reading has picked back up now that life has slowed back down a bit- during our move vacation I managed to read 12 books! It definitely kicks started my reading back in high gear as things had stalled a bit when we were looking at reunion and initial move stuff. Of those books, I found a new favorite Fantasy series- The Kindred Curse Saga, the first book being Spark of the Everflame. These books are incredible- they suck you in and once you start you won’t want to stop. Seriously- I joined the midnight reading club several nights (in a row) and I quite literally did not read anything else in that time.  

I’ve also managed to pick up the camera and film some things- short form content for the most part, but I’m enjoying that as well! I’ve found that it’s something that I enjoy both creating and consuming. You can find me on Instagram as always at @acuppacosy, but I’ve also recently decided to get into the TikTok game (after lurking for literal years). 

I’m not sure what this blog is going to look like or turn into as I feel settled but also in limbo, so we’ll take it one week, on post at a time. In the meantime, Shabbat Shalom and have a great weekend! 

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