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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A Cuppa Cosy Summer Holiday 2023 – Quebec City

It is finally time to start breaking down our Summer Holiday. It’s a bit late in the posting lineup, but we had a truly fantastic trip, and I can’t wait to share all the details! We did a bit of an East Canada tour de force- starting in Quebec City and ending back in New York. I think this was one of our top trips in that we loved everywhere we went. We found some real gems in these cities and really fell in love with some of these spots. So, here we go with where we started…

We spent three nights in Quebec City and the bulk of our time was spent wandering the city. We stopped in places from time to time, but we really just walked the streets of the city and enjoyed our time. I’ll highlight a couple of the spots we did go to and the history, but I highly recommend just wandering the city streets of both upper and lower downtown. The days that we were there we did (and you’ll see) have some air quality issues, with the wildfires raging out of control. 

A real quick note on the “Upper Town”/” Lower Town” designations. I’m not making these up- this is very much how they are referred to. Upper Town is the location of the military and civic/admin district. Most buildings in this area are 19th century, though there are some 17th/18th century ones. Lower Town is at the “bottom” of the cape. This is the site that Samuel de Champlain built a settlement. The Church Notre-Dame-des-Victoires is located in Lower Town (dated back to 1723) as well as the Musee de la civilization.

Quebec City dates back to 1608 when the French, specifically Samuel de Champlain, settled the area- making it one of the oldest European settlements in North America. The ramparts (which we walked) are the only remaining fortified city walls remaining in the North Americas (north of Mexico). The “Historic District of Old Quebec” is a World Heritage Site (as of 1985) and honestly one of the coolest spots to walk around. Now, while the French “founded” the city, it was actually an abandoned Iroquoian settlement called Stadacona. The city itself has quite the history, specifically during the French and Indian War where it served as the headquarters for raids against New England. However, Quebec was captured by the British in 1759 and held by them until the end of the war. It was then officially ceded to Britain, though Quebec is still heavily French and both French and English are spoken interchangeably (which gave our boys a chance to learn a couple phrases in a new language!). 

To get a little ahead of myself on our time in Quebec, but stick with the history, we spent an afternoon wandering and touring the Citadelle of Quebec. The Citadelle was initially built due to concerns of an American attack post the American Revolution and the War of 1812 (as America did try to “liberate” Canada from her Sovereign- unsuccessfully). Now, the Citadelle is an active military installation and a secondary (official) residence of the Canadian Monarch and governor general. The Citadelle does join the original fortifications, which is really cool when you think about the history of it all. The entire city itself is surrounded by fortifications. 

When Samuel de Champlain was initially building up the settlement of Quebec, he immediately noted that the Cap Diamant would be of importance and value to any fortifications of the region. When he built up the settlement, he built it in the way that the city would be at the base of the cape, thus allowing the landscape to provide a natural defense. The French initially built up the walls but determined that a fort would cost too much, and it wasn’t until Louisbourg fell that they felt a true need for a fort. The British saw the need for a full fort, but, similar to the French, didn’t want to pay the cost for a full fort. It wasn’t until the late 18th century that they fully committed to building the fort. The present star fort was built from 1820-1850, with the British remaining within the Citadelle until 1871. 

It was really neat to walk through the Citadelle, seeing and learning the history, as well as hearing about their mascot- a goat (affectionally named Batisse)! Even though it is a fully functioning military base, you are able to see quite a bit of the buildings and museums. It is well worth the visit.

Now once you pass through the Old Fortifications to wander through downtown you can head through the streets and up towards the Promenade. This includes the cite of the Chateau Frontenac- one of the most photographed spots in Quebec City. Located in the Upper Town, it dates back to 1893 and was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway company. It is a National Historic Site of Canada and is one of the first completed grand railway hotels. These hotels are hotels that are built as an attachment to the major railways within Canada and were designed to serve railway passengers. A lot of these hotels then became landmarks and are linked to the history of the country itself. And I can definitely understand why- it is just as stunning in person as it is in photos.

Once you walk through the Promenade- called Terrasse Dufferin (and feel like you’ve stepped back into another era- just imagine it!), you can wander down to Lower Town. There are two ways to head down, by funicular or by stair. We chose the stair option because we have a thing for stairs (this is a long running theme from our European Travels). Lower Town has a very definitely different feeling to Upper Town. As you descend you can definitely feel a different vibe- in a way that…might even live up to the names. Upper Town is very…. business like, very prim and proper almost. Where Lower Town can have a bit of a frenetic feeling, a bit of a lighthearted, let loose, kind of feeling. Rue du Petit-Champlain in particular is very neat. We wandered through tight streets, picked up some ice cream, and sat riverside looking up at the Old City. 

Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Quebec was THE church we wandered through during our walks. And let me tell you…it lives up to that name. This is the oldest church in Canada and the first to gain the rank of minor basilica- which happened in 1874. However, this massive cathedral started off as a chapel- the Notre Dame de la Recouvrance- dating back to 1633. In 1647 construction of the actual Cathedral began under the name of Notre-Dame de la Paix. It was destroyed in 1759, rebuilt, and then destroyed again in 1922. Upon its 350th anniversary, a holy door was constructed, the second only to exist outside of Europe, only the eight in existence in the world. It was opened in 2013, for a little over a year, then opened again in 2015. It is not to be opened again until 2025. This particular Cathedral is absolutely incredible- it is pretty high up on my list of Cathedrals and churches, and I’ve seen my fair share. 

We spent a little bit of time exploring the Parliament Building of Quebec, which houses the National Assembly of Quebec. This present building was started in 1877, the first assembly met there in 1884, and the building was completed in 1886. The original building that housed the government was built in in 1648, rebuilt in 1694, and then destroyed in a fire in 1834. The clock tower was installed in 1888, the first addition was completed in 1915, and several more throughout it’s time. The new entrance was completed in 2019. We were able to walk through the halls, see where the government conducts business and learn a little about how it functions. 

One of the final things I want to talk about in Quebec City is the Morrin Centre. This is a 200-year-old building that was initially one of the first jails in the city, turned school, and now is the leading English-language cultural centre and library. A little history, because this building has a LONG one. Initially this space was called the Redoute Royale and served as a military barracks, with the occasional prisoner of war. The original building was demolished in 1808, with the intention of building a new building to serve as the public prison. The new prison was completed and opened in 1813- though it housed prisoners starting in 1812. The prison was quickly put to full use and became overcrowded quickly. In fact, our tour guide told us that it was a common occurrence to get in light in trouble in order to go to the prison and get a meal. There was a total of 16 men hanged in front of the prison and you are able to walk the very same steps those men would have walked. You are also able to see a variety of markings in the basement cells from the prisoners. The prison was officially closed in 1867. 

However, the building history doesn’t end there- it is quickly turned from a prison to a college. Morrin College is the first English language higher education institute. The college partnered with McGill University to allow students to earn Arts degrees, and starting in 1885, the college admitted woman into the program. In 1868 the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec (dated back to 1824) moved into a wing of the College. This Society has played quite the role in preserving the history of Canada- not only gathering and preserving historical documents, but also creating the National Archives, creating a lending library focusing heavily on English-language books, and republishing rare manuscripts. 

The building presently serves as a museum, a cultural centre, as well as a fully functioning library. But also, I mean look at this library- is it not dreamy?

The final stop on our time in Quebec City was the Artillery Park, which is part of the Fortifications of Quebec. This is a “living history” museum that combines actors and artifacts to give a hands-on experience of life under the different rulers of Quebec. We got to experience the British, the French, and the Canadians. The “tour” starts in the arsenal foundry which gives you a full history of the City and its’ fortifications, then a model of Quebec City before you head down to the Dauphine Redoubt- one of the oldest military buildings in North America. Again, you experience life during different military rules. Finally, you stop in the Officer’s Quarters and see how they would have lived in the military area of the city. This building was actually originally a bakery but was repurposed to hold and officer and family. Definitely worth a stop!

And that really wraps up some of the highlights of our time in Quebec City. I will say- we really enjoyed our time. I always note what cities we like to be in (as we aren’t really a city family) and it’s always these Older European or full-on history spots that we prefer. Somewhere we can walk everywhere, see some architectural variety, and surround ourselves with history on every corner. 

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A Hearty Hello…Again

A fun fact to start your day off that I’ve just learned this week. Melvil Dewey, of the great Dewey Decimal system, was born in raised in this (where we live) region of the country. He loved education but found the library system lacking in organization- thus the Dewey Decimal System. He came up with it while in his 20’s (but none of us are behind the curve if we haven’t done something incredible yet…) and he was actually the person who created the American Library Association, Library Bureau, Library Cards, and the first library school. But it wasn’t all great (because let’s be honest…it was a certain time in the world), he was also antisemitic, racist, and a serial sexual harasser. 

It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? I didn’t mean to wholly just take such a big break, but there was so much going on that blogging just didn’t feel right. My brain was full of so many open tabs (yep, I’m about to use that analogy) and I couldn’t look at a blank word document and turn it into a full, well rounded, and thought-out blog post. So, I took a step back (though if you follow me on social media, I still updated and posted there). It was partly because I had a lot of moving plates – some I couldn’t share about; some I didn’t want to share about and honestly partly because I went through a little…introspection.

There’s a lot of noise on social media. There’s a lot of noise in our everyday world. And I’ve always been a person that didn’t want to contribute to the noise if it wasn’t…helpful. If I wasn’t sharing something of value, I’d rather not share at all. And to be honest, for a minute there I didn’t really know what was or would be of value. And I don’t mean this in any self-pitying way, or like I don’t think I hold value (or my words hold value) more so I felt like there was a lot changing in our life and I needed to figure out how blogging and sharing was going to fit into it. 

I’ve been blogging for 8-10 years now, and regularly on here for 6 years now. I’ve seen a lot of changes to both myself and my posts and I think I hit a bit of a wall. A bit of…what now, where next, how am I fitting this into my vision. What do I want to talk about? What do I find value in? How do I not just be…noise?

I can’t say that the past couple months have provided any…clarity in that. However, I’ve been reading other “newsletters”, other blogs. I’ve been listening to podcasts. I’ve been handling things and changes and staying open. 

It would be easy to say, oh I’m back because I want to share about our Summer Holiday. And that would be partially true. I do want to share about our Summer Holiday. Talking and sharing about traveling to new places, learning new things- it lights me up. It’s something I love. But I also just feel like we’re entering a new chapter over here (one I WILL talk about at some point), and life is about to get a whole lot more hectic and…I kinda want to talk about the juggle of it all. Because…well I’m a sucker for being over busy (as spring sports season very much reminded me of). 

So…here’s what’s coming your way to start with- a reading wrap up, because we have a lot of books to discuss, 4 travel posts detailing our Summer Holiday, and a little update to my Jewish Reading Project. I want to infuse a little more of the bare and raw Mia into my posts, so don’t be surprised if the voice of the post’s changes ever so slightly. Also, don’t be surprised if those Round the Kettle posts come back at some point. They were fun and didn’t quite translate to a podcast as easily or as well as I’d hoped. 

Fin :)

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My Evening Routine – Updated in 2023

I feel like in order to have a good day the next day, it starts the night before- cliché I know, but somewhat true. A couple years back I started experiencing some really bad chronic back pain that really started to affect me in ways that I didn’t really understand. This really affected my sleep, which then affected my morning, the next day, and then a cycle was born. A couple weeks into physical therapy I completely overhauled and shifted my evenings to try and help develop a better sleeping habit. For me, sleep is a big chunk of my attitude and approach to the day in a way that I didn’t recognize prior to working through my chronic pain. 

A couple of things….

This is what I’ve found works best for me. It allows me to calm both my body and my mind, both of which will hold tension and thoughts all night if I let them. This is also something that will apply year-round, although the time of evening might change come Summer. The basic concept and order of events stays the same, meaning my evening routine will always be about an hour and a half before I’m ready to read and then lay my head down. So, basically in the summer I will do this routine and then maybe pop outside and read out there until I’m ready for bed or what not. This is just what I need to do to get into that bedtime calmness.

So, my “evening” technically begins around 7:30PM when I put the kettle on, turn off anything on my phone that deals with “words” (I used to listen to podcasts as I cleaned in the evening and got ready for bed, but I found that that didn’t end up being very “relaxing”). I’ll turn on a classical music playlist on Spotify and start to do the dishes while the kettle is boiling. I pour an evening cup of tea- I swear by the Twining’s Nightly Calm- and will nurse it over while I tidy up the kitchen, wiping down all the counters, sweeping the floor and then a quick Swiffer. Once I finish in the kitchen it is usually time for the boys to start cleaning up their toys and getting ready for bed. 

I’m very lucky in the fact that, when he’s home, my husband will do most of the boy’s night routine. It’s kind of become his time with them (though there’s a lot of back and forth about cleaning typically ha-ha) and I’m happy to leave that to him. I continue to nurse the evening tea as I help the boys tidy up their toys (this is usually just pushing the boxes back where they belong and putting the couches and blankets back where they belong). Usually by the time this is done I’ve finished my tea and I’ll clean the mug up, turn all the lights off downstairs and head upstairs. 

I’ve still got the classical music playing in my ears as I head into the bathroom to take my makeup off, wash my face, and brush my teeth. During this time the boys are getting a bath (if Robert is not home, I’ll put off washing my face until after bedtime so as to handle the boy’s bedtime). I’ll admit, it took me a long time to get the good habit of washing my face every night. My skin tends to be fairly normal, no major breakouts, and most of the time it absorbs moisture very well. I would always take my make up off, but I’ve found that beyond the good benefits of skincare, it also just continues that feeling of “the day has ended”. Sometimes your body and mind really need the physical reminders to start shutting down. 

So, wash my face, brush my teeth, then moisturize my hands- this is a necessity especially in winter when my hands crack. 

On school nights the boys are in bed by 8:30PM (weekends tend to be anywhere from 8:30-10:00PM depending on what we’re doing- the later time being rare). Starting at 9:00PM my phone is put away and not touched again. I’ve always had the do not disturb option come on at 9:00PM, but I’ve been guilty of continuing to peruse social media or whatever until the second bedtime. No more. Looking at my phone, at all the “things” just makes my mind light up again and it’s hard to come back from that. So, phone up and away, and that includes the classical music playlist that I had going. It’s all done and gone. 

Once kids are in bed, in winter at least, I’ll crawl into bed and do some reading for about an hour until I turn the reading lamp off and go to sleep around 10:30PM. I’m not sure how this will change in the summer- I’m sure I’ll be sipping on my tea outside or downstairs with my book and soaking up the last of the light much later into the night. 

And that’s it! Seriously so simple and full of “obvious” duh things, but we often forget or miss out. This honestly has truly changed how I sleep and how I feel when I wake up the next morning, which in turn has been a game changer across the board. 

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Spring has Sprung…or has it?

Well, it’s official, by the calendar we are in Spring. A time of year for new growth, for life to emerge after the harsh, cold, dark winter…except we are still in that harsh, cold, dark winter. Mother Nature- how am I supposed to emerge full and bursting with new life? How am I supposed to come twirling out, welcoming the gloriousness that will be Spring sun and storms…if you can’t be bothered to stop the gosh darn forsaken winter tantrum storms? 

Ok- that was a lot for an introduction- I guess you could say I’m reaching the end of my tether with snow and winter. The snow and winter weather started so early for us this year, and with a bang I might add- nothing like a shocking 5 ft of snow to usher in Winter before Thanksgiving. There was another 5 ft snowstorm right as Christmas moved in (which we missed due to traveling), and it’s just seemed to be a forever gray landscape. Our false spring came super early this year- talking the beginning a February, almost a full month, and now it just seems like Mother Nature seems to be toying with us. 

As I’ve mentioned and discussed a wealth of times both here on this blog, as well as across social media, I’m a big believer in magic moments, in little joys, in finding the light in everyday moments. But even with my comedic take on the snow, it’s starting to get harder to watch the snow come down and think- oh how beautiful. I mean it is OBVIOUSLY beautiful, and I am OBVIOUSLY over it. 

AND I’m over wearing jeans (and pants in general)- bring on the spring/summer wardrobe of dresses, skirts, and more relaxed clothes please and thank you.

I’m ready to be sipping my morning tea on my front porch, spending the slowly lengthening evenings in the backyard. I’m ready to transform my space into a little paradise- full of light and fresh growing things. Ready to go for walks through the woods, and along the sidewalks of our neighborhood without looking like a giant puff marshmallow (seriously- just the preparation to head outside makes the worth of going for a walk questionable). While I miss the sledding, I’m ready for my kids to be able to run down the hill to the playground and play for hours outside- truly tiring themselves out. 

Oh, I am yearning for Spring. 

I hate to think too much of it – if anything, winters here have taught me to be grateful for every moment of whatever the weather throws at us whether that’s a surprise snow or a 50-degree sunny day- but it does seem like we seem to be on an upswing. Overall temperatures are trending upwards, and snowfall amounts are trending downwards. I’m hopeful that before too long we can say a fond farewell to the depths of winter. 

So, a toast to Spring, a toast to warmer weather slowly coming, to longer days, and to a new season to celebrate…even if it’s a whole month before we actually see it. 

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A Chatty Re-evaluation and Sharing Joy

I didn’t really have a post planned for today. Or rather, I had a million different ideas on what to post, posts prepared, and none of it really felt…right. I’m not sure- I’m kind of entering a bit of a funk with the blog. Not in a bad way, just in a…where do we go from here kind of way. What do I share? How do I share it? Do I even need to share it?

You could say in some ways there is a bit of an imposter syndrome moment happening over here. I hate saying it like that because I don’t know that that is exactly what it is. I go through these moments throughout the year of wondering if I really add any value (which HA wake up Mia- that IS Imposter Syndrome). These moments tend to come at times where there just isn’t a lot going on with life. Or at times when I feel like I’m creating much better…content in other spaces on the internet (videos on IG are really sparking a special kind of joy lately). 

I’m basically in a space where I want to reevaluate ever so slightly what I’m doing. A lot of the things that I’ve written about in the past, and tend to focus on, are…well not happening this year. We don’t have many trips planned because of life and work and such; we don’t have much going on that I can talk and share about publicly (not that I would necessarily choose to do, but I’ve always somewhat shared things that are affecting us). And so, I’ve just been trying to figure out what I actually want to write and talk about. This has been a thing that seems to happen every couple years – I tend to look back and forward to see where things stand (believe it or not I’ve been blogging in some form for 8 years now!). 

 So, what is going on? Well, the boys are on winter recess this year- I’m always shocked at how independent and self…sufficient, self-entertained they are getting as the months go by. I’ve filled in some of our days with playdates and errands (ambitious of me given the weather that’s coming in), but I’ve also scheduled in some time at home to rest and play. They’ve become amazing at simply playing together in their given spot in the house- whether that’s their room or the Lego area downstairs and allowing me to get things done or have a bit of quiet time. It’s shocking in some ways, sad in others, but overall, just super helpful haha. It’s a new level of parenthood that I’ve been grateful and sad to step in to- like much of parenthood. 

I’ve been a bit of a reading fiend this past week or so- I’ve just been devouring books in a way I haven’t in a long time. It’s been so refreshing to spend so much free time in between the pages of a book, to challenge my reading abilities, and just escape. When I’m not reading, I’m creating or I’m parenting, and I’ve just found a real joy in those three things together. 

It’s funny- when I picked my word for the year back at Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year- read about it HERE). I had no idea just how much it would guide and ring true to me. I’ve found life to be filled with so much joy these past few months, even when its hard or when I’m feeling a bit down. I’ve once again found a contentedness to our lives, a complete space of peace with where things are at just right now. I’m looking forward to experiencing more of this joy throughout the year- and sharing it with you! 

Something I’ve been thinking about implementing it’s a bit more of the slice of life stuff that I share over on Instagram. Not in the same way, maybe when I put together a reel or video of something we’ve done- I might do a little blog post here, go into a bit more detail, share links if needed and so forth. I feel like I want to immortalize some of these just true joys filled moments in so many ways and I think finding a spot on my blog for them might be good- especially as I’m reevaluating my content on here as it is. 

With that being said, if you’ve made this far through all my waffling – I want to share two little pieces of joy from the past week or so! 

The first was our little Valentine’s Day celebration. The boys had a half day at school (which was full of parties and card/gift exchanges), so I decided to put together a little something for the afternoon. I told them to work with each other to pick one movie, one of their favorites, while I put together a “little” charcuterie board. Well, the “little” charcuterie board ended up going a bit overboard and we spent all afternoon curled up in the living room eating a variety of cheese, salami, crackers, and fruit while watching Star Wars. I also made a special heart shaped Challah that was topped with pink and red X/O sprinkles and filled with chocolate. We made a total of three loaves, two of which were shared with friends, and enjoyed it all week long! It was a small but very special event for the boys and me. 

The second was a reading challenge I did over the weekend. I’ve done these challenges before- usually a read for 24/48hrs or something along those lines, but this time I had three books that I really wanted to read and wanted to read now. I knew they would all be compulsively readable- as in once I started, I wouldn’t be able to stop before I finished, so I decided to go for it!

And somehow, I managed to read all three in the three-day weekend. I managed to read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, Radiant Sin by Katee Robert, and Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano in 3 days! I surprised myself as this was a challenge, I didn’t know I could succeed at, the kids are one winter recess (which started a day early), I was trying to do a couple of fun things for them a movie night, and two hockey nights, AND I was doing it all solo- just me and the boys. But remember how earlier I talked about how independent and grown and self-engaged they’ve become? It was a real game changer for the weekend.

So that’s it on this chatty little Winter Recess post! Coming up I’ve got my monthly reading wrap up, a Jewish Literature post (that’s been written and waiting for a minute now), and maybe a little royal commentary! 

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