Creativity is contagious

Smallish moment:

he used my filming setup to make his own LEGO video (for YouTube!)

Today’s smallish adventure happened right at the kitchen counter.

I had my filming setup out from working on some art projects, and without any prompting at all, Isaac decided he wanted to use it to make his own video.

He gathered his LEGO pieces, and I helped him position set up my camera and lamp. Then I pressed record.

I didn’t suggest it.
I didn’t plan it.
I didn’t even realize he had been paying such close attention.

Apparently creativity is contagious.

It was really awesome watching him concentrate so carefully, following the tiny illustrated instructions, and talking to the camera like he’s heard people on YouTube do.

It was such a small moment. But it didn’t feel small.

Small adventures aren’t always outside the house.
Sometimes they happen under a warm light, with a pile of tiny pieces and a big imagination.

Sometimes they look like a child deciding, completely on their own, that they want to make something.

Moments like this remind me that creativity doesn’t have to be elaborate or impressive to matter.
It just has to be visible. When creativity is part of everyday life, it becomes something that feels normal and safe to try. Something worth exploring.

And sometimes, without even realizing it, we give the people around us permission to create too!

A very small adventure.
A very meaningful one.

My mom heart is so very full today!

A Smallish February: Finding Joy in Everyday Moments

February in Chicago is just plain rough, isn’t it?

It’s officially that "wet, sloppy boots by the door" season where everything feels damp and slightly annoying. The skies are that specific, flat shade of Midwest gray that makes you wonder if the sun was just a fever dream we all had last July. Everything is frozen solid, and honestly, I am so over it.

But if you look closely, and I mean really really lean in and squint, you start to notice those tiny quiet hints that spring might actually happen. Eventually. Maybe.

Nothing monumental happened this month. No big trips and no grand adventures. Just those small, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that make a life.

Walking past the garden bed the other morning, I caught a glimpse of a tiny red tip pushing through the mulch. One of the bulbs we planted last fall decided it was time to wake up! I’m not even embarrassed to admit I let out a full-on, loud "SQUEE!" right there in the yard. My neighbors probably think I’ve lost it, but after weeks of gray, I am so, so ready for something, anything, green.

It had been way too long since I sat down with a sketchbook. My "asshole brain" likes to tell me I’m too busy for "unproductive" art, but I finally ignored it, cracked open a fresh page, and just... drew. It was such a gentle, necessary reminder that I need to make space for this more often.

Isaac started karate this month, which has been so fun to watch. I took karate years ago and loved it, so seeing him put on his little white belt and step onto the mat feels strangely full circle.

Mostly I just love watching him try something new and take it seriously in that very earnest kid way.

I love this photo so much. This is Isaac and me, squeezed into the "cozy corner" (also known as his closet) working in his Minecraft coloring book. There’s something so special about being invited into a kid’s secret fort. It was simple, creative, and exactly the kind of slow intentionality I’m trying to prioritize.

One afternoon, the temp crept just high enough that the kids spilled out onto the driveway with a box of chalk. My heart just about burst. Seeing him with friends from across the street and down the block... this is exactly why we moved out here.

Nothing big. Just the small, quiet stuff I’m trying to notice more.

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Our First Snow Day in the New Neighborhood

The snow started falling early, soft and steady, and Isaac insisted we go outside so he could help shovel our sidewalk. So we bundled up, grabbed the big red shovel, and stepped into a world that was turning white by the minute.

After a few minutes he really found his rhythm and started clearing the walkway with serious focus. Snowflakes were sticking to his hood, his sleeves, and even his eyelashes, but he kept going!

As soon as Isaac saw his friends outside, he begged to go play with them. We walked over and noticed they had a sled. Since we have a little hill in our yard, the boys brought the sled over and immediately turned it into their own winter adventureland. They took turns pulling each other, sliding down, falling over, and laughing the entire time. It was the kind of pure kid joy that makes a snow day feel magical. This is why we moved here!

After a while the boys switched to snow angels. They lined up in a row, threw themselves backward into the powder, and flapped their arms and legs until the snow beneath them took shape. Watching them wiggle and laugh felt like watching childhood in its purest form.

After hours of playing outside, it was finally time for the boys to come in and warm up. My husband made hot chocolate for all of us, complete with mini marshmallows, and we gathered around the table with our steaming mugs. The boys chatted and laughed, still buzzing with excitement from their snowy adventures. Hearing the joy in their voices warmed my heart more than the cocoa ever could.

I did not take photos of their faces. Privacy matters. But I did capture what they left behind. Empty mugs, abandoned spoons, and marshmallows scattered like confetti. A tiny still life of a winter afternoon well lived.

Planting Little Surprises for Spring

This afternoon felt like the right time to get our tulip bulbs into the ground. The weather was perfect for November. I thought this would be a quick little garden task, but wow, I seriously underestimated how much work it would take to dig out a whole row. Isaac wanted to help, so we grabbed the shovel, a trowel, and about 200 bulbs, and headed outside.

After we dug the trench, we laid out the bulbs so we could see the spacing. I love how they look against the mulch and dirt. Little hints of color before they ever bloom.

We planted a mix of tulips, hyacinths, and alliums this year. I’m excited to see how all these different bulbs look together in the spring.

Planting bulbs always feels like an act of hope. You do the work in the fall and wait months to see what shows up. And this year it was a lot of work. I was so thankful to have Isaac helping me. He helped dig, placed the bulbs gently, and checked that each one was pointing up. Planting together feels like another way we’re settling into our new home. We’re putting things in the ground without knowing exactly what will bloom or how it will all look in spring. It just feels like a small step toward the future.

Now we wait, and hope, and look forward to see what grows!

Smallish Adventure- A Sky Full of Wonder

I was sitting at my computer working when my phone started blowing up with neighborhood texts “Go outside!”

So I did.

And there it was.
The Northern Lights(!!), glowing right above our quiet Chicagoland neighborhood.

Tonight as I walked through the neighborhood, looking for the best view under a pink and green sky that quietly glowed above the rooftops, I was able to take a few photos with my phone. How amazing!

It felt like the world was gently reminding me: you don’t always have to go far to find wonder. Sometimes, the adventure finds you.

Welcome to the First Sip Club: A Morning Ritual for Quiet Minds

It’s 6:15 am and I’m sitting out on the front porch of our new house, listening to the sounds of the neighborhood waking up, holding my hot cup of freshly brewed coffee. There’s something sacred about that first sip. Before emails, before the morning chaos, before my son’s crazy energy launches the day into full speed—I sit, I sip, and I breathe.

I call it the First Sip Club. There’s no membership card, no secret handshake. Just a quiet space, a warm cup, and a few moments that belong to me.

This isn’t about maximum productivity or perfect morning routines. It’s about claiming a small piece of the day to ground myself—to feel the warmth of the mug in my hands, the weight of the pen on the page, the stillness before the world (or my son!) asks anything of me.

How to Start Your Own First Sip Club

1. Pick Your Sip
   Whether it’s coffee, tea, lemon water, or even a smoothie, pick something that feels warm, nourishing, or simply enjoyable.

2. Claim a Spot
   Find a corner, a chair, a window with morning light—any place that feels like yours. No clutter and, most importantly, no chores staring back at you.

3. Set a Timer if Needed
   Give yourself 5-10 minutes. Long enough to slow down, but short enough to feel doable even on busy days.

4. Silence the Noise
   No phones, no scrolling. Maybe some soft music or the sound of the world waking up outside. This is about presence, not distraction. (I struggle with this one.)

5. Add a Companion Habit (Optional)
   A journal, a sketchbook, or simply staring out the window—pair your sip with a quiet activity that connects you to yourself.

6. No Expectations
   This isn’t a productivity hack. Some mornings you’ll feel peaceful, others restless—that’s okay. The point is that you showed up for yourself.

Welcome to the First Sip Club. There’s no wrong way to show up—just a sip, a seat, and yourself. Try it for 5 days and let me know how it went, and how you feel afterwards. Is this something you enjoyed? Will you keep going? Was it hard for you to show up and just sit for a few minutes? Let me know in the comments below!

smallish adventure- orchid show at Chicago Botanic Garden

February is almost over, and man, it's been another doozy of a winter month. The weather folks are reporting that this could be the coldest February on record. And winter isn't over yet... I don't know about you, but around this time of year, I get the itch to see green + growing things.  The Chicago Botanic Garden is having it's second Orchid Show which is the perfect shot of spring/green that I needed!

These are just a few of my favorite shots. I hope to finish editing the rest of them soon (and maybe add a slideshow/gallery?) If you are in the Chicagoland area and have a chance to go, please, do! It'll be just the right amount of green + growing things to help combat the winter blues!