When my kids went on winter break in mid-December, I told myself that I was going to take a pause from posting on social media for a couple of weeks. I just wanted to slow down and be present with them while they were home. Well, weeks turned into months and before I knew it, more than half the year had passed without any new content from me.

This is the longest I’ve gone without social media since I got on Myspace in 2005. I’m the worst millennial!

So where have I been? Just living life. I’ve been so preoccupied with myself and my family that I haven’t felt the impulse to create content until now. I’m not sure how consistently I’ll be here, but I’m ready to start sharing again.

Let’s catch up! Here are a few life updates from 2023 so far:

1. I started substitute teaching for my local district. It’s been fun getting back into the classroom and being able to experience so many different grades and subjects.
2. My husband and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary. Yay, I’m so proud of us!
3. The girls had a great school year. Goose was on the A honor roll for all of second grade and Belly, who I was so nervous about starting kindergarten, earned the Citizenship Award for her class. Hearing everything they learn and watching their friendships grow makes my heart so happy.
4. We took in a pregnant stray cat. After caring for her and her five kittens for a few months, we found homes for all the babies and decided to adopt the mama. The girls named her Midnight.
5. Yes, we still have our other kitty, Nico. He just turned 10! And yes, at one point, there were seven cats in our house. It was nuts.
6. I’ve been reading like crazy. Keep an eye out for book recs.
7. Lots of family time. In addition to more quality moments with my husband and kids, we had relatives visit from California and England, and we took a road trip to see my sister’s family in Chicago. So many new memories!
8. Oh yeah, I chopped my hair off.
9. And I turned 36! Am I in my late 30s now? 🙂

Going forward, you can expect to see my content include even more of myself. Don’t worry, you’ll still find inspiration for feeding your family, staying organized, and living mindfully. But now that my girls are becoming more independent, I have time to explore additional things that interest me, like books I’ve read, casual mom outfits, and self-care.

I haven’t decided whether I’ll continue participating in paid collaborations. While I like encouraging a mostly minimal lifestyle, I also enjoy sharing products with you that I think are delicious or helpful in some way. If you see sponsored content or affiliate links on any of my platforms, you can assume that I feel very strongly about the items.

Special thank you to Emily from Emily Ann Photography for these new pictures! She came out and did a shoot with the ladies from Columbia SC Mom and I’m so happy with how they turned out!

I think that’s it for now. My new meal-planning method is coming next!

Talk to you soon!