How are you all? I don’t know why, but this year December seemed long to me and even so I didn’t get all I meant to done. November was busy and I blinked and people were posting their Christmas trees on Instagram. it gave me anxiety and then I stopped to think- wait, it isn’t even December. Why the race?
Again I am trying to remind myself to slow the rush through life, beginning with this new year. Sitting by the fire, making soups and taking rainy day walks and reassessing the house and life is what I’ve been doing. Also picking our loads of lemons we are getting just now..
The massive amount of rain here and snow at the cabin (125 inches in one week!) has kept us indoors except for a daily rainy day neighborhood hikes. Tennis has been rained out for almost 4 weeks for me. We did venture to dinner with friends at a restaurant, but with the new spike of Covid, we feel like it’s a good time to lay low and haven’t done much socially.
We went from no snow a week a half before…
to this…Crazy right?
Since we couldn’t get up to the cabin and roads were closed, my college son informed me during the break he wanted to sell his queen bed and get a smaller twin to have more space for a larger desk. He wants a more dedicated study space for when he comes home and the big bed sucked up a lot of his small bedroom.
He ordered a new twin XL bed and mattress and got in within 3 days. This is the beginning of what we have for his room with the new bed and a fun side table found at Homegoods. I’m hoping to share the whole room when his desk and rug gets chosen. The checked duvet is from IKEA.
His quick decisions inspired me to finally pull the trigger and order a daybed and wallpaper for Max’s office/guest room. I’ve been thinking about doing this since our oldest son moved out last spring. I’ll admit making decisions isn’t my strong suit, but I did it!
The daybed is from Wayfair and so is the mattress. I love the clean lines and linen of the daybed and it’s small profile fit perfect in the room that also has to hold a large desk.
The room still needs art. I’m going to do a group of bird pictures in here for my bird loving husband. I have not figured out the pillows and things yet, but threw these on there and a grey cotton coverlet. The bed is surprisingly comfy! I also added this rug to warm up the space I found at Home by Ling Interiors, a new shop in Los Gatos. If you can’t get to Ling’s wonderful collection, a similar one is here.
I was so excited to get that room together that I also ordered a real desk for myself and a proper chair.. They will go in the media room which will be my office. It’s taken almost 3 years of living in this new space to realize that the size of that room is perfect for an office and it’s not really much use for anything else.
This is the desk and the chair.. I plan to place them in front of my Serena & Lily bookcase.
Moving into the new year, I’ve been reminded by my husband I need to start putting myself first for my health and happiness. How many of you can relate? The Christmas season made that even more apparent when I skipped my morning yoga practices and walks a few weeks in a row trying to knock things off my to do list.
My husband has figured out how to work full time and also make time into his schedule every day for stretching, workout and reading his books. He says I can do that too, and I plan to try harder. Friends of mine are blowing through novels and I barely made it through half of my stack. Home things will just have to wait- dishes, laundry and errands while I prioritize myself and do things I usually consider leisure. When do we stop worrying about everyone else and start thinking about ourselves- putting us on the priority list? We need more moments of joy.
There’s a life balance many of us are missing and pleasing others is part of the problem. I saw this new journal that goes along with Glennon Doyle’s great book and it may be a good way for some of us to start this in the new year..
Get Untamed: The Journal (How to Quit Pleasing and Start Living)
I ordered one for myself.
Another way to change habits is to look at someone who is doing what you would like to. Do you know a friend who takes time for herself? Treats herself well? Often you can ask yourself, would X do this? Would X … I know I have done the same and instead of envying such people, take a page out of their book and start treating yourself as well as they do.
Get a new planner for 2022 and pencil in weekends, trips and daily walks and time for just you. We need this more than ever in the pandemic life.
On another note, I’ve been noticing all the very chic choices now in long puffer coats. With the wet and cold weather, there is nothing better than one of these cozy long jackets for a walk or a winter day out. I hate being cold and in these you can’t! Some of the best ones below..
I’m loving this box quilt look, this lovely iridescent blue look, and this modern water resistant one at Nordys.
Athleta has this Boulevard Coat, marked $100 off now, now, in black and red..
I also noticed this Puffer Wrap Coat from J. Crew in black and a light grey..
I am working on my annual post, ‘What to spend your Christmas dollars on’. It’s a post with things that have long term pay back. I have always tried to pool my Christmas or birthday money and buy one nice thing that I will enjoy for a long time. That post will be such things… so stay tuned.
Have a great weekend and stay cozy!
Kim
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