Finding joy, flavor, and meaning in the everyday mess
‘Twas the night before Christmas 2024, and for whatever reason, our house just didn’t feel very… Christmas-y. The presents were wrapped. The tree was glowing. Everything looked festive. It just didn’t feel festive. Joe wasn’t about to let that happen. He wandered into the pantry, determined to fix the problem with whatever ingredients we happened to have. Leftover peppermint bark?…
Some of my favorite road trip memories began because I wasn’t particularly good at following a plan… or the blue line on my Apple Maps. Joe can confirm. Road trips included. I’m the person who says, “Let’s just wing it. If we get lost, we’ll stop for ice cream. Ice cream always makes things better.” Sometimes that leads to a…
I have a confession. I am really good at starting projects. Finishing them? Well… that’s a different skill set entirely. Or maybe it’s ADHD. Perhaps both. At this very moment, there are several unfinished projects scattered throughout my house, patiently waiting for me to return. Or, more accurately, silently judging me every time I walk by. There’s the Lego pistol…
A year ago, we packed our lives into boxes and headed to Alabama. Like many families, we had hopes. Dreams. Plans. We believed we were stepping into a new chapter and trusted that everything would fall into place once we got there. And in many ways, it did. We met kind and fun people. We learned new things. We experienced…
There are seasons when everything just feels… off. Not completely falling apart. Not a full-blown crisis. Just enough chaos to leave you feeling behind, overwhelmed, and slightly annoyed with yourself all day long. That was me. I wasn’t failing at life…I just wasn’t showing up the way I knew I could. My routine was inconsistent. My goals felt far away.…
The car was packed like we were fleeing the galaxy — snacks galore, chargers + extras, wired earbuds, hoodies, and blankets. I told Joe, mostly as a reminder to myself, this was a scouting trip, but honestly, it felt more like a reality show. We were on a mission. Our mission? To spend a few days in Huntsville, AL, the…
Christmas is quickly approaching, and even though Thanksgiving hasn’t happened yet, it’s never too early to start preparing for the festive season. In our household, we have two elves, one for each side of our blended family. Every year, we love coming up with clever and funny shenanigans for them to get into. Over the years, we’ve discovered that the…
Fall is right around the corner, and I can’t help but feel excited. The decorations. The football games. The family gatherings. The comfort of cooler weather after a long Southern summer. This time of year always encourages me to slow down and reflect on how far my family and I have come. When I look back, I can’t help but…
By now, I’m hoping you’ve read a few of my stories and gathered that I’m from the South. Well… much farther south than South Carolina. Living here has taught me so many things, and the more I explore, the more I fall in love with this area. We live about 30 minutes from Clemson, South Carolina, and it seems that…
(The One My Dad Would Have Approved Of) Here we are, in the middle of a South Carolina fall weekend. The leaves drift across the yard with every gust of wind, and I’m wondering just how long it’s going to take to rake our new backyard. Then Joe walks in and asks, “What’s better than that restaurant-style salsa you just…