The week after Spring Break heading into Easter was a little rough getting back on track. I went through my Monday thinking it was Thursday. And that’s just never a good way to start! But as we wrapped things up on Friday, I still sat in awe of where the heck the week went… and how I’m still doing nothing with my life. Haha! I’ll never understand how or why time plays tricks on us that way. But the sense that the days got away from me motivated me just enough to clean the house and get some things done in the backyard before the Easter weekend began. Some sense of accomplishment. New month, new me. *wink wink*
I’ll also come clean here and admit that I didn’t do a single fun or cute Easter activity. No coloring eggs, no hunt, no basket. We are always fairly low-key anyway, but with the realization that Stevie doesn’t really care about that stuff, (and in fact it usually leads to a fight) we were able to just have a really nice Sunday hanging out together. No expectations or frustration from him when things didn’t go just right. He got a package from my mom and a Hot Wheel from me. Kinda the perfect little treat to get us through the holiday.
remembering
Paul and I were reminiscing about one of our trips to the PNW. We are so beyond ready to get up there and visit some friends. It’s funny the way we remember these trips differently though. Paul has a more sunny memory, while I tend to remember the negatives. I wonder why those hard moments are so readily available for me to lament over, but I think we each use a coping technique. Paul remembers the good times, because that’s the only way he’d want to travel again. And I remember the hard times because I have to mentally prepare myself to be disappointed. I’d rather be pleasantly surprised, than wickedly disappointed. Either way, it goes to show how well matched we are. He lifts me up and I bring him down. LOL No, I’m kidding. Kind of. But we always seem to balance each other out.
wearing
My cut-off shorts have made their way out of storage! The 3 times I got dressed this week, I was wearing them. Over the years, I’ve had many pair. And as my size changes, so do my shorts preferences. These are my current high-waisted favorites. I actually ordered them 2 years ago, and didn’t love them (especially for the price) so they were returned. Now, here I am 2+ years later and a few lbs heavier in need of shorts that fit. I actually went back to my IG highlights (where I tried on a whole bunch of shorts) and was drawn to these again. As luck would have it, I found a pair on Poshmark. I sized up so they wouldn’t be too tight, and they quickly became favorites.
If you don’t want a high rise because — let’s face it, sometimes stiff denim around your belly on a hot day just isn’t comfy no matter which way you dice it — I also love this more relaxed style from Everlane. I’ve only owned them for about a year and wore them 10 times last summer. Which doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you track your clothes you know it is! You can see them styled here. And I’ll be happy to share some more info if there’s interest. We have a whole lotta 80 degree days in our near future, so it won’t be long until they’re back in rotation.
eating
With the relationship I’ve had with cooking, never in a million years did I think I’d be in charge of the main dish for Easter dinner. ME?! I’m totally the guest that usually shows up with a cocktail and some chips. Call it a day. But this year, I did it! I made a freaking brisket. We kept it small, so it was just us and Paul’s immediate family (all vaccinated, yay!) but the brisket was a success. I made it in the instant pot using this recipe. Then I cooked carrots, potatoes, and cabbage in all the meat juices. Everything turned out great, and in record time. Phew!
unlearning
Loved this opinion piece in the New York Times on Rosa Parks. I read it after it was recommended by one of my favorite accounts @privtoprog. It is so refreshing for me to read real history, as uncomfortable as it can be at times. But after all these years, I have learned so much more about these deeply human heroes, rather than the watered down versions I’ve always held to. And I mean, we knew Rosa Parks was a bad-ass, but maybe even more so than I could’ve ever imagined. If you can’t get past the pay-wall for the NYT (not sure if it’s there for opinion articles), you can google “The Real Rosa Parks Is Better Than The Fairy Tale” to see some more condensed versions.
going
We were on such a roll with our hikes! This week it just got too hot for me to enjoy (as I mentioned that’s anything above 76 degrees, haha). With the time change, I’ll need to move our schedule around and maybe go after dinner. But it feels much harder to fill the afternoons when we have to wait for an evening hike and try to squeeze things in before bedtime. We’ll see. At least we enjoyed Brand Canyon Moyorway. I think it’s a choose-your-own-adventure for difficulty, because it seemed to veer off to some really steep trails. But we stayed on a flat paved trail, and survived just fine. To get there, head to Brand Park (one of our favorites with or without the hike) and then keep going back toward the Doctor’s House Museum. There’s easy parking and we got a good little sunset view that day!
shopping addiction tip
With the change in seasons, it’s always especially tempting to shop a little more than normal. I know I’m certainly not immune to this feeling. I’ve been browsing a lot and daydreaming about the places I could wear some fabulous new outfits. But luckily I’m at at place in my addiction where I can browse and not buy every single thing that triggers my lizard brain (thank you @frisky_gatos for that one!) So for now it can be fun without feeling out of control. It takes time to get comfortable with it.
But one practice you can implement right away — any time, any day — is exercising your impulse control muscle. When I see something I like (for instance, these pants) I add the item to my wishlist and then take my time with the hunt. I usually like to look for similar items over a few days to see what details stand out to me and whether I can find it secondhand, from a sustainable brand, or wait for a sale. Sometimes that means I’ll go back to the original, but I feel content that I did my research and took my time.
Hope you all had a pleasant weekend, and a Happy Easter if you celebrate!
loves,
jaana