I've shared a lot about my health lately (both physical and mental) and thought I'd share some of the things that I feel have made a noticeable difference for me, not just recently, but over the last several years. SLEEP MOREIt sounds cliche, but the science is there: getting enough sleep (for me, that's 8 hours) is critical to optimize nearly ...
personal
Dinosaur Birthday Party
We celebrated L's 6th birthday with a dinosaur-themed party for the second year in a row (by his request!) I loved the decorating kit I got on amazon and wanted to share all of the resources in this post! We made the dinosaur party hats by hand using colored paper we already had at home and pom poms I ordered on amazon (applied them with this ...
A Visit to Houston
Canada lifted some of their travel restrictions recently so after not seeing my mom since Nov. 2019, she was finally able to visit us here in Houston! It was a longer visit than usual - two weeks, which allowed us to spend a lot of time together and do more than we usually get to. We didn't do many indoor activities other than going out for ...
Work/Life Updates
I've gotten quite a few requests to share an update about life and work since leaving my corporate job in April. I can without a doubt say it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I feel happier, healthier (physically, mentally, emotionally) and more productive and accomplished. I've learned that I'm not alone in leaving my job this ...
Round Top Texas Antique Fair
Last weekend, I attended the Round Top Antique Fair in Round Top, Texas for the first time. I had always wanted to go and have friends who went each year, but they typically went on weekdays and I always thought weekends might be too busy. I’m a little bit sad I missed so many years of attending – it was a really fun experience and the perfect ...
Reflections on the Pandemic, One Year Later
Last March, when stay--home orders were implemented, I thought, no problem, we can do this for two weeks to flatten the curve! We wiped our groceries with Clorox wipes, played board games, ran around in the backyard and went for family walks. I was even featured on the local news sharing fun at-home activities for kids. Looking back, it seems ...
Disaster Preparedness List
Our family has always kept things like flash lights, extra batteries, bottled water and quick damn flood prevention bags on hand because we’ve lived through many hurricanes here in Houston. What we weren’t prepared for was a freezing weather event and losing our power for nearly three full days. The hopelessness you feel when you lose power and ...
Reflections on 2020
2020 was a year we will collectively never forget. It was the year the world turned upside down and life as we know it came to a halt. Feelings of uncertainty, fear and anxiety challenged most of us. Today I’m reflecting on what this year has taught me, because as hard as it (and some of its lessons) were, I think I grew a lot this year. I ...
A Career Decision
I've been working since I was 14 years old - through all of high school and college. When I moved to Houston as a Canadian citizen and was unable to work (legally), I was an almost full-time (32-40 hrs/week) "volunteer" at a local nonprofit, working in their PR department. I couldn't stand being at home "doing nothing" and not using my ...
All About Our Puppy Teddy + New Puppy Supply List
Teddy has been such a wonderful addition to our family and I'm so excited to write this post sharing the story of how we came to the decision to get a puppy. Our kids have been begging for a puppy for a couple of years now, but we weren't ready. With our busy lives, work commutes and the kid's activities, we just didn't feel we'd be home enough ...