Upon arrival to Kansas City this weekend, if I couldn’t remember why I was there, the entire city skyline would’ve reminded me. Absolutely every major building — and even Union Station’s dinosaur – was lit up red. Kansas City Chief’s red. But of course I never would’ve forgotten my reason for the trip: this was…
Category: favorite things
Last page
“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” – Brad Paisley Looking forward to a new year and new hope. But before bringing 2021’s book to a close, I got to spend a fun evening with my kids at Union Station and the Foundry – which were still decorated…
Repeat
“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” —Rachel Carson Day 28 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: Your favorite thing about nature. Answer: Besides everything? The above quote is my favorite thing about nature. I find so much comfort in the rhythm…
The Best Medicine
Day 25 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: Something that always makes you laugh. Answer: Oh goodness, it’s impossible to narrow that list to one thing. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Random faces and smiles in nature. My kids. My best friend and our shared warped sense of humor. Trevor Noah. Tik Tok runner Mrs. Space Cadet. My…
Stop and smell the…
Day 24 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A favorite scent. Answer: Lilacs. Any shade, any variety. I routinely adjust my running route based on lilac bushes blooming in my area. And I have no issue coming to a complete stop in the middle of the sidewalk and just breathing it in. I don’t even bother…
Joy
I spotted this little heart yesterday and it felt like a love note from earth. Day 22 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: An everyday item that brings you joy. Answer: The little heart leaf brought me a great deal of joy, but that’s not something you see everyday. So I will say my standing mixer….
That’s it. That’s the answer.
Day 21 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A favorite place to visit. Answer: New York City. And I cannot wait to see her next year.
Beyond Work
“Just be kind. Please. Just be kind. Especially during the holidays. Have an extra moment of grace, of understanding, of love. There are so many with stories of loss and struggle and hardships. And the illusions of the holiday and perfection and celebrations can make the hurt magnified. So just love. Smile more than you…
Brave Enough to Learn
Day 19 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: Someone who inspires you. Answer: A number of people inspire me for a variety of reasons, but in the realm of gratitude, one particular person comes to mind as someone whose example has shaped much of who I am as an adult. Sixteen, seventeen years ago, I started…
Simple Secret
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – The Little Prince As I tried to finish out my work day, I could tell that I was missing a gorgeous sky show outside. Admittedly,…
Gems
Day 16 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A cherished friend. Answer: This prompt made me smile. I believe that all friends should be cherished. But if she’s reading this, I know the cherished friend that popped into my mind first knows exactly who she is.
I said that?
Day 13 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A life lesson. Answer: Okay, I totally cheated on this one. It’s been a long day and today’s prompt was a little deeper than I had the energy to dive. I figured that surely I had something in a past blog post that could give me some inspiration….
Second Act
Check out yesterday’s sky at sunrise when I took the dog out… …and then an hour later when I left for work. I had assumed the sky show would be over once the colors faded. Imagine my surprise when I walked out the door again and saw the show was simply in its second act….
Turkey Trotting
Day 11 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A happy memory. Answer: Last Thursday. Thanksgiving, obviously, but beyond that, I got to participate in an in-person race with my older son — our first together since 2018. Which, of course, leads to countless other happy memories of races with both of my kids and others in…
This and That
This fading Black-eyed Susan made me laugh. It looks like it has eyeballs. And there are still just a few trees left determined to keep the fall color show going. Day 8 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A beautiful sound. Answer: The obvious answer would be music, especially Christmas music. Whitney Houston in the Preacher’s Wife…
It looks so nice parked in the driveway, Eddie
Day 6 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A movie that’s comforting. Answer: Christmas Vacation. Or Elf. Or Home Alone. Or Preacher’s Wife. Or any Christmas movie I watch every year. I’m not sure this is what they were going for with today’s gratitude entry, but Christmas movies came to my mind instantly. When I bake Christmas…
Look for it next year, too.
Day 4 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: Something in the room you’re in. Answer: Grampa’s chapel. Shown above, it was made by my Grampa more than 100 years ago, it’s one of the most precious things that I own, and I’m pretty sure I share it on this blog every year at Christmastime. But unless I want…
Well, Yellow There…
Three words: Gingkos are magic. It’s not often that I have to wait for people in the park to leave my frame so I can take a photo of something, but the gingkoes had a lot of people stopping in their tracks and wandering off the paths. Little kids tossed leaf piles in the air…
Love Baked In
Day 2 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: Your Favorite Food. There are several answers to this question…pizza (Dewey’s Green Lantern), dill pickle soup (The Fountain on Locust), my mom’s breakfast casserole, etc. But in the context of this gratitude challenge, I need to give a shout out to cookies. Specifically, my cookies. And…
Small journeys
On the way to the office this morning, I realized how much being home for the last year and a half has made me enjoy getting out and about — so much that I even appreciate the stoplights along my route to work. I love to look around, see what’s developing (in nature or man-made)….
Good choice
Every day you have an important choice to make. Whether to cherish or waste the most valuable blessing you have – time. Today you have the choice to spend it wisely, appreciating every minute of your life, loving the people that love you, focusing on all the good you have. Find what makes you happy,…
Seven Ways…
…to love yourself. 1.) Celebrate small things. 2.) REST. 3.) Say “no” to toxic people. 4.) Express what you need. 5.) Set boundaries. 6.) Slow down. 7.) Forgive yourself. I saw this list on Instagram (@chronically_cheerful) recently, which seems to be my magic 8 ball of self-care wisdom these days. And I thought those were…
Things I wish for you
I spotted this wonderful sentiment and thought it was worth sharing with others (along with photos from my morning run in the Park and my later-in-the-morning walk with Finn). Things I wish for you That you go on lots of long walks and enjoy your own company. That you learn that the real magic doesn’t…
No filter needed
Today’s visit to the park was brought to you by the color red.
Smile
“Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” – William Cullen Bryant Trying to get outside as much as we can these days to take in all the lovely smiles. Including my dog’s smile. They say you should write down three things each day for which you are grateful. My list today? 1.) Red; 2.) Orange; and…
hey there, friends 