10 Things Vol. 8

Long time, no blog! I can never seem to consistently blog, film/edit YouTube videos and post instagram photos simultaneously.  I tend to only be able to focus on one social media platform at a time and while I do think it would be nice to have only one thing to focus on, I’m glad I know my limits and that I don’t overextend myself between the three platforms to the point of burnout.  Over the past five years, I’ve learned that if something fun isn’t feeling fun, it’s time to take a step back. In no way was I feeling like blogging wasn’t fun- I just felt more drawn to YouTube for the past few months!  However, with the return of the warm weather, I’m definitely foreseeing less time in my schedule for being indoors which is required for filming and editing but I still crave a creative and bookish outlet so here we are.  How have you been?

1) To completely switch gears from the aforementioned warm weather, Andrew and I just booked a trip to attend Prelude in Kennebunkport this upcoming December! I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to attend and I can’t wait to live my best cheesy Netflix / Hallmark Christmas movie life in a cute matching hat and scarf and all the Kiel James Patrick sweaters.  We’re already planning to attend TWO Christmas tree lightings but we’re still in the very early planning stages!

2) But shifting back to the season I’ve been waiting for, we’re opening our pool this weekend! I can’t wait until it’s warm enough to go swimming and to sit poolside in the sun with a good book and a cold drink in hand.  We also purchased backyard furniture since this is our first summer in our house and we’re already going to be putting it to good use with guests coming both this weekend and the following weekend.

3) Another upcoming trip that I’m so looking forward to is that we’re going to have a family reunion of sorts at Andrew’s parent’s lovely new home in the Poconos.  We haven’t all been together since pre-Covid and everything is extremely spread out across the US so it’s tough to coordinate schedules.  This trip has been a year in the making but now it’s only a month away which is totally wild! I’m getting so excited to see everyone, hang out together, and have a full week off of work.  Plus, we’re getting a family photo taken and I’ve been blessed with the task of making a list- truly my area of expertise.

4) In addition to our travel plans, I’ve been making a long list of Long Island locales that I’m excited to check out or to return to this year.  Long Island is truly the best during the summer season and I can’t wait to immerse myself in all it has to offer.  It’s funny because when I was younger, I had no appreciation for my hometown, but as an adult, I feel like my eyes have finally been opened to just how incredible Long Island is.  You have to put in some effort to find or travel to some of the gems around the island, but they’re truly unmatchable.  We have the most gorgeous arboretums, more beaches than you can imagine, an abundance of lighthouses, the best bagels (WAY better than NYC bagels), Gold Coast mansions galore (Great Gatsby is set here!), so many vineyards, and most importantly for me, family!

5) Two weeks ago, Andrew and I bought a scale which was a real eye opener.  We’ve both been so excited to have our own space and to have calmed down on renovations, that we’ve indulged in way too much snacking and lounging around lately.  After both stepping on the scale, and then placing weights on the scale just to be 100% certain that this device was in fact, telling the truth, we made some immediate lifestyle changes.  We’ve been eating healthy, cut out snacking almost completely and we’ve been exercising regularly.  I’ve already lost 4 pounds over the past two weeks and I feel so much better.  The hardest part was getting into a new routine and recognizing when we’re hungry versus bored.  It also helps to be in it together especially when one of us is feeling less motivated.

6) In the same vein, I started a whole slew of trackers on my Notion board (habit tracker, exercise tracker, food journal, and weight tracker (not overly concerned with the number on the scale for the long-term, but it does feel good to see progress in the early days before I hopefully start building some muscle and gaining healthier weight). I also made a 101 in 1,001 goal list for myself that’s full of personal, house, travel, family and professional goals I’m looking to accomplish in the next 2.75 years.  I’m excited to be using a semi-daily journal that I don’t have to put effort into designing the layout of. It’s been really low pressure and fun to update!

7) With the hints of warm weather and all of the things my mind has been focused on listed in items #1-#6, I’ve had little mental capacity for much else.  Whenever that happens, whether my mind is brimming with the good or the bad, I tend to turn toward my comfort genres (thrillers, romance, nonfiction, etc).  I was really struggling trying to get into The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie earlier this month so I put it aside in favor of The House Across the Lake, Happy Place, Family of Liars, and Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, all of which I’ve been immensely loving (or loving to hate which you’ll see in a future review). I’m also looking forward to reading Carley Fortune’s newest, Meet Me at the Lake, in the very near future.

8) For the first time in a long time, I’m completely head over heels for the new summer collection coming on May 16th from Hill House Home.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my Nap dresses and while I’ll continue to wear them, I’m really glad Hill House has been branching out into new styles.  There’s only so many patterns I can have of one very distinct dress, no matter how much I love it! Their prints are out of the world and while I want some of the neutrals, my friends have convinced me that those may stick around longer as their core collection and I should go for the prints.  So that is my current plan!

9) I recently invested in some pickleball racquets and balls and I’m really excited to start playing! I’ve been wanting to find a fun, more physical activity to get into and I think this could be the perfect thing.  I feel like pickleball has been all the rage lately and as a lover of badminton it has certainly sparked my interest.  A couple of other recent Amazon purchases include pool towels, the best face suntan lotion (not even a little bit oily!), an American flag for our house, and a basic watering can.

10) Speaking of the watering can, we planted our first flowers around the house last week! We went to Hick’s Nursery and got hydrangeas, dahlias, lavender, and some herbs.  It was a very spur of the moment trip after a day out at Old Westbury Gardens, so I’ve since taken stock of the space we still have for more plantings and I’m considering grabbing daffodils and tulips on our next round. Unfortunately they have a short blooming window, but I do love seeing the first signs of spring.  It’s also a bucket list goal to plant a cherry blossom tree out front- probably next year!