Currently // March Edition

March has been a busy month with its fair share of life-changing events. As our exciting house-sale adventure continues, I felt the need to just pause and take stock of the little things that matter. 

Enjoying the prolificness of spring.  Here in Maryland, it feels like we awoke from a winter night to a spring morning, the changes came so swiftly. 

Reading The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates. It always takes me a bit to get into her novels, but once I do they're always favorites. 

Watching a new-to-me show The Paradise on Netflix. I mentioned in this post the other day. I'm still loving it! 

Trying  a new breakfast recipe: homemade frozen breakfast burritos. I love having quick homemade breakfast options, and anything Mexican-style I will eat! I'll share our recipe soon! 

Grilling out more often. As the day's lengthen, it's a little easier to stand outside and cook over the grill. I love having grilled chicken, steak, or fish in the evenings. Such a healthier option--and a bit faster to prepare! 

Listening to an Irish playlist I created on Spotify as a bit of a St. Patrick's Day joke. I have to admit though I've been kind of enjoying it. When I say Irish I mean Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys not constant bagpipes don't worry. I'm still cool right? But seriously though... it's the best music for cleaning and getting things done. 

Planning for our upcoming move to Washington, D.C.! I keep fluctuating between nervousness and excitement. There's so much to do! Did you catch this post with our big game plan? 

Planting a few herbs and veggies in my little container garden. I can't go all-out this year since I have to relocate to a boat in May! I only plan to have a few herbs, some lettuce, and some peppers. 

Applying a little dab of doTERRA essential oils before bedtime. My mom mixed a "Balance" oil a few months ago. It may all be in a my head, but I swear that stuff has helped me stay calmer throughout this house sale process. Another favorite of mine is lavender. 

What have you been up to lately? 

Daffodils in Sunlight

Is there anything more quintessentially spring than white daffodils nodding in a spring breeze? 

Our Easter Weekend: Maryland in Bloom

Warning: this post is primarily pictures of flowers.

This past weekend was perfect in its simplicity. No pressing appointments, no to-do lists, no road trips. Just me, the husband, and the pup enjoying the spring weather and some downtime at home. Solo in the above picture accurately captures how I felt about Saturday and Sunday. Every now and then, it's just so needful to relax and simply be. 

Weekend breakfasts have become a bit of a ritual around here. Quick grab-and-go breakfasts punctuate the workweek; so taking time to cook an actual breakfast meal feels special. Mid-morning conversation over bacon and eggs, French toast, or waffles has become one of my favorite ways to reconnect with my spouse after a long work week. Breakfast on Saturdays isn't just about quick nourishment and fueling for the work day. We can actually enjoy and savor. Relax, talk, and enjoy our orange juice and coffee.

While we're on the subject of breakfast... in the great debate of Panckaes Vs. Waffles, we're definitely a waffle household. How about you?

Saturday, we walked downtown to enjoy the spring blossoms that have suddenly appeared everywhere. Blossoms sprinkle the streets; the entire city a confectionery of pink and white petals. To be honest, I have no complaints about it.

Here are a few more photos of Frederick in full bloom, from the carefully potted to the prolific wild tree.

A Peek Indoors with Lana of Newman's Nest Blog

Welcome to another installment of "A Peek Indoors," my monthly series focusing on the home decor and styling skills of some of my favorite bloggers, makers, and artists. Each post focuses on the favorite room in the guest writer's home. This month, we're peeking into the chic little-girl nursery of my friend Lana of Newman's Nest blog. She and her husband are expecting their first baby, a little girl, very soon. And they have created the sweetest little nursery for her to come home to! You can tell that Lana's great eye for design and experience working for Anthropologie has molded her style. 
Without further ado, let's see this adorable baby room! 

"My husband and I have lived in our home now for almost 5 years, and I do have lots of favorites about the house- the kitchen remodel we finished last year, our master bedroom, and our living room to name a few. But this room is my all time favorite because it will be where our first born babe lays her head at night- doesn't get much sweeter than that in my book!  It's also the only room in our home that I feel is actually "completely decorated"- the rest of the home is constantly feeling like a work in progress.  I suppose it helps to have a bit of a time crunch.  Nothing like a due date to motivate the completion of a room!

The look I was aiming for was a modern take on a nursery- I didn't want it too themed but more of an eclectic meshing of my favorite elements for a little one's space.  I started with the idea of a black and white nursery and then added light pink, minty aqua, and gold accents.  The black and white ended up getting a little overshadowed but it is a good neutral base!  

I found most of the accent pieces at Anthropologie, like the art prints, stuffed flamingo and Jellycat bunny, dresser knobs, globe, and jewelry box hung as a mirror.  The rest I found at box stores like Target and TJ Maxx;  Keeping the nursery under budget was pretty important to me- I prefer to spend money on cute baby clothes!  

The hardest thing for me to find/decide on was the dresser.  I didn't want to end up spending an arm and a leg on it so price really narrowed my options.  I also wanted it to have more of an antique look since everything else was so sleek and modern.  And lastly, the height had to be at least 34" because both the hubby and I are pretty tall and didn't want to kill our backs, crouching over to change the millions of diapers we are anticipating!  After quite the search, I found the perfect dresser on Craigslist but it needed a good restoration.  I took it to a local boutique called Mustard Seed- the owner refinished the dresser for me and painted it a glossy black to make the finished result a bit more chic.  Glossy paint also tends to highlight any flaws (which this dresser has quite a few dings) but I prefer it that way- it's an antique!

My favorite design element is a tie between the mobile and the metal sign above the changing table.  The mobile was a DIY idea from Pinterest made out of straws and spray painted.  It was my first try at himmeli so I did have quite a few frustrating moments but I love the end result!  We found the metal sign on our babymoon in Turks and Caicos at the cutest little place that was half coffee/gelato shop and half home goods boutique.  I love that we incorporated a piece from our trip into her room!"

Thanks so much for sharing, Lana!

Like what you see? Find more and follow Lana via:

Newmans Nest blog | Pinterest | Instagram

We're Under Contract!

After being on the market for five days, our home went under contract. Our realtor called us Wednesday night to let us know that an offer had been made. We were ecstatic! But then that night-- it hit me. Oh wow, we're really doing this. This house that we've lived in, that we've renovated together and made our own... we're really selling it. I thought we would have more time to get used to the idea before it sold. More time to pack and to wrap my mind around the idea of leaving Frederick. But no-- five days and one month is all the time we have. 
That night, I could hardly sleep! My mind raced with a ll the things that needed doing. How on earth would I get everything done in time? You know what, I decided, I'm just going to make a list of everything that needs to get done. Lists are the ultimate salve to stress, in my opinion. 
Here is my game plan for the next few weeks:
Our deadline to move out: April 28
1. Clean out the basement.  This will be our biggest challenge. How is it that we manage to accumulate so much stuff? My first main project will be to sort through the basement junk and determine what can be sold, what can be donated, and what will be stored. I hate working down there though because its a old-timey cellar... dirt floors, stone walls, low ceiling. Ugh! 
2. Sort through and whittle down our wardrobes. This project is pretty much already completed. You may remember my capsule wardrobe project last spring. Who knew then how much time that would save me this year? Since then, I've lost about 16 pounds so I ended up having to whittle down even more. Together, our winter wardrobe-- including shoes, coats, snow gear, and accessories-- fits into four Rubbermaid crates. Not bad in my opinion! 
3. Sell all large furniture items that aren't going to family or into storage. One thing about this move that is both exciting and challenging is the fact that we have to get rid of everything. I'm not joking. Every piece of furniture is either going to family, being donated, being sold, or being stored. Only small decor items and essentials are coming with us. My for sale list includes: our couch, the entry way table, our dining set, and pretty much everything else. 
4. Sell my Jeep. Since we'll be living in DC, there's not point in having two cars. We'll have access to public transportation and still have Mark's truck for longer distances and road trips. Plus, there's no sense in paying for two parking spots when we don't have to. So sadly, my car of 9 years will have to go. 
5. Throw a yard sale. Sometime in mid-April, we'll be hosting a yard sale to hopefully part with all the items we're not keeping. Any tips for yard sale hosting? 
6. Donate what's left over.  Whatever doesn't sell will just have to be donated. Here's a good tip for donating items and clothes: make a list of what you're donating. Because come tax-time, you'll be asked what you sold to determine the value of your donation. If you have a list and a receipt, then you're golden. 
7. Rent a small storage unit.  Living on a boat will present unique storage challenges I am sure. Thankfully, the boat we're buying has a lot of built in storage but certain things-- like out of season clothes and outdoor gear--may have to go into a small storage unit. Hopefully it'll just consist of clothing, Mark's mountain bike, and out golf clubs.   8. Box up and pack what's coming with us.  And it's not going to be much! Our clothes, our kitchen essentials, our food, our books, and some basic home necessities (sheets, towels, small decor items). We'll probably have to just haul this around in our cars for a bit until we can move onto the boat. 
9. Locate a temporary housing situation. Because the money for the boat purchase will largely come from the house sale, we have to wait until that's over to actually purchase the boat. Thankfully, we're assured that that process isn't nearly as long as a house sale. (We will get the boat survey and haul out done prior to closing on our home.) So hopefully we'll only have a week or two that we need to figure out a temporary housing situation. 
10. And move!  Once the boat is ready, we'll move onto our floating home! So in May, we should be in DC and finally finally finally no longer commuting 4 hours a day! 
It's a lot to do. But I've discovered that it's better to look forward and be excited for what's ahead than to look backward and be sad for the memories left behind. I'm confident that together Mark and I can tackle this move! 
Do you have any good moving advice? Or advice for getting to know a new (much bigger!) city? 

What Are You Watching on Netflix?

What are you watching on Netflix?  As winter winds down, the time spent snuggling on the couch binge-watching Netflix is also winding down. After all, with all these extra golden hours, why waste them on the couch? On the other hand, dinner and a movie is a great way to spend date night at home. Here are a few of my recent favorites on Netflix: 
The Paradise | historical drama TV series Describing this BBC series will make it sound unimaginably dull, but I promise its not! The story centers on a department store called The Paradise and the lives of its employees. But it's so much more than that. It's so very good, just trust me. If you enjoy period dramas like Pride and Prejudice, then you will enjoy this show! I'm about three episodes into it and hooked. 
Prison Break | crime thriller, TV series This crime thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. It follows the story of a younger brother who commits a crime in order to be incarcerated at the same prison as his older brother, on death row for murder. But all is not what it seems.... Convinced of his brother's innocence, the man concocts an impossible plan to escape the prison. Basically, I bite my nails every episode. 
Chocolat | historical drama (with Johnny Depp yuminess), film This movie will make you want to jump up and go cook. And if you love chocolate, you'll find yourself buying some after watching it. With a nod toward magic surrealism, Chocolat centers on a mother-daughter duo who follow the north wind across Europe, setting up their chocolaterie in each town they visit. The find themselves in a conservative French town where they absolutely do not mesh with the locals. It'll make you laugh while your tummy growls. After all, Johnny Depp and chocolate are never a bad combo. 
North and South | historical drama, miniseries  This four episode miniseries is the unexpected success that made actor Richard Armitage famous. Intended to be only marginally succesful, North & South broke several BBC records the year it aired. Set in "the North" (Scotland? Northern England? I was never completely sure) during the Industrial Revolution, the story follows a young woman from the sunny South as she attempts to fit in to her new town without much luck. If you've ever moved away from home and felt disconnected, then this film will resonate with you. Plus, who wouldn't want to spread Richard Armitage on a cracker? 

Good Reads // March

It's been awhile since I shared a Good Reads post, but lately I've had good luck with books. My favorite time to read is early mornings. In my opinion, there's no better way to start the day than with a cup of strong coffee and a good book. i always try to carve out about 20 minutes in the mornings for exactly that. Me, a blanket, a book, a coffee, the couch. 
Here are a few recent reads that I have really enjoyed. 
The Magicians series - Lev Grossman GRR Martin described this series as to Harry Potter what whiskey is to sweet tea. Being an avid Potterhead, I'm not so sure I agree with that assessment, but the series is an enjoyable read. The story follows Quentin Coldwater, a brilliant misfit who suddenly finds himself enrolled in a college for magicians rather than Ivy League institution he had expected. If you're in the mood for a good romp and enjoy reading series, Grossman's stories are certainly worth it. 
The Rocks - Peter Nichols This story begins with quite the shocking scene: an elderly couple argues and plummets off a rocky outcrop into the Mediterranean Sea. "Mark!" I exclaimed. "Oh no!" From that sudden event, Nichols leads you back through time from the 2000's to the 90's to the 80's to the 50's to the 40's, illuminating a little more of the story as he goes, until you finally discover the truth of the matter. What really happened decades ago to cause the argument by the seaside and the tumble into the sea. The entire time you think you're reading about one love story and then realize there's another one woven within the plot. 
Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) Anything written by JK Rowling never fails to disappoint. No one can quite tell a story or create a character like this author can. Cuckoo's Calling is a detective novel about a down-on-his-luck private detective who is abruptly handed the largest case of his career: the murder of a supermodel. Rowling presents an array of characters-- will you be able to spot the murderer? I figured it out, but Mark didn't. Heehee!

Fates and Furies - Lauren Groff When I first started reading this book, I thought I wouldn't like it. Instead, I quickly became entranced by Groff's  prose. I love her choppy yet poetic descriptions--kid gloves removed for sure-- of one couple's marriage. Telling the story of one marriage from two people's perspective, Groff reminds us that marriage is the tempestuous, miraculous, scary, beautiful union of two distinct minds. 

On my To-Read List: The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
What good books have you read lately?