300 Days of Sunshine

Now that most of the country is fully open and many aspects of life are returning to normalcy, I'm so thankful to be able to travel again and to see family and friends.  I just returned from a trip with the girls to Virginia Beach, where we met up with my mother and sister for a week of fun in the sun.  Our family has been vacationing at the Boardwalk resort on the Virginia Beach shore for the past 14 years, and this year I had a renewed appreciation for this little gem of a location after a long year without vacations.  I was in absolute paradise to walk out onto my balcony and see the expansive ocean, hear the waves crashing, and smell the salt in the air. There are many beaches to choose from along the Atlantic Coast, but Virginia Beach has a lot to offer, with miles of shoreline, a wide, paved boardwalk, and lots of restaurants and family fun.  It's generally a really clean and safe beach.  The city organizes a variety of events for families, like concerts, ...

Happy summer!  A few tidbits about life lately... 1. Our state just entered the next phase of reopening and I have such mixed feelings.  After waiting over a year for "normalcy," I find that I'm not actually ready for things to return to normal.  Outdoor events have been great but I'm uncomfortable seeing people unmasked in public, and I grapple with how I'm perceived by others when wearing a mask versus not wearing a mask.  How do I send the message, "I'm fully vaccinated but I still care about other people?"  I would feel a lot better if a significantly higher percentage of the population was fully vaccinated.  Every phase of this year comes with its own unique challenges! 2. A few years ago I vowed to stop buying shorts (besides athletic wear) because everything was just horribly unflattering, but now that denim shorts are making a comeback, I decided to give them another try.  I just bought new shorts that are literally called the Momjean .  T...

Happy summer!  Our family has been spending a lot of time outdoors this month, socializing in outdoor settings now that the world is starting to open up, and entertaining visitors as travel continues to be safer.  The kiddos have enjoyed the garden at the Santa Fe Children's Museum, the ABQ Biopark Zoo and Aquarium, dining out on patios, enjoying live music on the plaza, and digging in the sand at the Railyard Park.  To beat the heat, we've done some hiking on the trails around Santa Fe.   I have always valued incorporating kids into the activities we already enjoy, giving kids exposure to a variety of enrichment activities from a young age, and making physical fitness a part of our normal routine, but getting out for a hike with young kids often seems like more work than it's worth.  We spend more time packing diapers and changes of clothes and snacks, lathering up with sunscreen, and driving in the car than we do actually hiking, and there's always a lot ...

Happy (unofficial) summer!  While we're still a few weeks away from the solstice, this feels like the start of summer in a lot of ways.   The weather was gorgeous this weekend in Santa Fe, tourist season is in full fledge now that many travel restrictions are lifted, and things are feeling pretty hopeful for the time being.   We even had our first pool day of the season at a friend's house this weekend!   Last week we went out to eat as a family for the first time this year!  I admit I was a little nervous to be indoors with the kids, knowing most patrons would be maskless, but it went smoothly and it feels like a big step toward reemerging into society.  We have a handful of visitors coming next month and we look forward to exploring around town once again.      I also took the girls hiking on a new trail this weekend -- Grasshopper Canyon, just outside of Santa Fe.   Ady is at a weird age for hiking because she’s not ver...

Happy May!  The weather was gorgeous this weekend and I think we can safely put away our winter boots and ice scrapers.  Almost everyone in my close social network is vaccinated, so it's really feeling like the world is opening up again and the next phase of pandemic life is beginning!  A few tidbits about life lately: 1.  I had lunch at a cafe for the first time in ages, and not only was it AMAZING to eat a delicious meal prepared by a real chef and have someone else wash my dishes, but I didn't realize how much I missed people-watching.  There should be a word in the English language for the contentment that comes with sitting alone in a room full of people, overhearing casual conversations, and just being anonymous in a crowd.  There are so many little things that we forgot about during the first year of the pandemic. The Japanese Bowl at Opuntia Cafe 2.  Speaking of things I didn't know I missed... latte art!  I sat down in a coffee shop for t...