On My Mind | No. 12

On My Mind | No. 12

A bit of rambling about all the things…

Hello, hello, friend! I’m back this morning with another On My Mind post, where I do a bit of rambling about all the little things swirling in my brain! These are some of my favorite posts to write (and read), so let’s jump right in!

This past week we had a tiny cold snap—one of those rare Florida mornings where the temperature actually dipped below 60 (!!). And guess what? Neither of my kids has any cold (or should I say chilly!) weather clothes that fit. Laurens ended up in shorts for school, and I spent a good three minutes stretching out an old sweater, praying it would magically fit him. Spoiler alert: It worked! And as for sweet Juliet, she stayed in her pajamas all day! I had to laugh at myself because I’m so used to our endless summer weather that I didn’t even think to prepare for cooler temps. Anyway, I’ll be placing an order ASAP to get them both set for fall! I already have this, this, and this in the cart for Juliet, and this and this for Laurens.

With the weather teasing us with a hint of fall, we’ve been back into s’mores mode with our beloved fire pit, and it’s been such a blast. Laurens literally lives for it! Last night, we had our best friends over, and the kids ran around the backyard, all sticky and happy from too much fun. I think I need something like this to keep all our s’mores supplies organized because right now, everything’s loose, and it’s a bit chaotic!

On my current to-do list: make Juliet’s Halloween costume. I took a trip to Joanne Fabrics the other day, and I think I’ve gathered everything I need. I’m planning to make her the cutest little sunshine costume, and in my head, it’s going to be absolutely precious. Let’s hope it turns out that way in real life! And Laurens? Well, he’s deep in his construction phase right now. He’s calling himself one of the “worker guys” (he’s been obsessed with all the workers during our renovation!). I also picked up this tool set for him, which has been a huge hit. Oh, and he casually informed me he might not dress up for Halloween at all… so we’ll see what actually happens on the day. Toddlers, right?!

Speaking of toddlers, Ryan and I had a lightbulb moment last week. After a particularly chaotic morning, I turned to him in the car and said, “I’ve got a crazy idea—what if we wake up at 5 AM for the next two weeks and see if it changes our lives?” Without missing a beat, he said, “I’m IN!” And friends, let me tell you, we’re six days in, and I can confirm that it has indeed changed our lives! Since Laurens and Juliet wake up around 7/7:30 AM, we now have this blissful two-hour window to drink coffee, read a book, get ready, tackle a bit of work, and even knock out a few chores before the day really begins. It’s been so good for us, and I honestly feel like a new person. It’s hard to commit to when you’re exhausted, but having that time in the morning has been such a game-changer. (We used to do this on the regular, but, you know, life! I’m glad we’re back.)

After many years, I finally upgraded our smoothie cups, and I’m so glad I did. Juggling the water/coffee/smoothie situation each morning is a bit ridiculous, especially with tiny hands everywhere. I decided it was high time our smoothie cups had lids. So I ordered one of these to try and after the first morning, I ordered three more. We are officially set! I’m so happy with them, and I love that I can use my clear glass smoothie straws with them.

Also! I’ve officially decided it’s time to jump back into reading. I’ve been a bit slow to pick up books recently, and I always feel more like myself when I do! Right now I’m listening to this, reading this hard copy, and enjoying this on my Kindle.

I’ve also started scheduling regular date nights again, and we’ve been looking forward to them so much! I even ordered this top for our next one (which also makes me excited for party season!). It’s so nice having a special night to look forward to each month. We sneak out when we can here and there, but I love that we now have something intentional on the calendar!

Okay, last confession: I had a full-on panic moment about decorating for Christmas the other night. The pressure to get our house Pinterest-ready is real (mostly self-induced, of course), especially with all the holiday shoots and campaigns coming up. But the truth is, it’s a standard I can’t keep up with in this season of life. We’re still in the middle of renovation, and I need to remind myself that good design takes time. I don’t want to rush it just to meet some imaginary deadline. This holiday season will be cozy and beautiful. And I’ll just keep reminding myself that it’s okay if things aren’t perfectly done.

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So, that’s what’s been on my mind this week! I’d love to hear how you’re prepping for Halloween, the holidays, or if you’ve taken on any new routines that are working for you. Have a good one, friends!