My grandmother is the queen of secondhand. From a depression-era upbringing, frugality is simply second nature to her. I have rarely known her to purchase items new. She’s a wonderful seamstress, and has always made clothes for herself, me, and my mom. She frequents yard sales and thrift stores. She reuses everything possible. Paper plates and napkins, plastic cups, or anything disposable are rare in her home. She doesn’t believe in waste. To me, that has always been who she is. I didn’t fully understand the value in her way of living until much more recently. Now I see it as such a blessing to have grown up with an example of truly earth-friendly, simple living.

There was a phase in my tween and teen years during which I scoffed at the idea of purchasing second-hand. I didn’t want “old clothes”, and I’m sure I rolled my eyes more than once at my mom’s suggestion to go thrift shopping rather than to the mall. It wasn’t until later, when I was in college, that I began to see the beauty in all things secondhand, in re-purposing and reusing and giving new life to old things. Now that I have a home of my own, it’s my ongoing goal to make it beautiful and unique. I see myself as a curator of the items in our home, and over time I have become more and more discerning about what I bring in. Thrifting is so perfect for finding one-of-kind items that can add so much character to a space. I love the process, too- the search. It is truly my kind of shopping. I feel pretty lucky that I happen to have married a guy who also enjoys all these things. On his days off from work we like to browse thrift and antique shops, and I absolutely love that this is something we can share.

This week, my haul was mostly practical everyday things.
I’ve been wanting for a while to switch to only cloth napkins, as I just hate all the waste from paper ones. The only way to make this work is to have enough of them for cleans ones to always be available, so I’ve been on the lookout, and yesterday I found a bunch of aqua and blue that look great together and are cotton (because I also dislike synthetic napkins that don’t absorb anything).
Another things I’ve been looking for, and was pretty excited to find, was these little jelly jar glasses. My grandma has always had a few of these. They’re very small, but so perfect for kids. They are really difficult to break even though they’re glass, and I love giving things made from “real” materials to Seth. Besides avoiding potentially harmful chemicals in plastic, I think allowing him to handle glass under our supervision can somehow teach him something, or at least make him feel capable and “big”.
I also found two books that have been on my to-read list for a while, four nearly-new clothing items for Isaac, and a slinky gray t-shirt for myself.

The total for all of the above was $21.65.

I’m linking up in Simple Design‘s weekly Share Your Thrift Haul post- it’s so fun and inspiring to see what others are finding! If you’ve found some treasures recently, won’t you share yours?

I’ve been meaning to share these pictures for a while. The week before Isaac’s birth, we went to the beach late one afternoon. The sea is where I feel most calm, grounded, centered. Being there, knowing my baby was coming at any time, was so beautiful for me. It felt so good. Lighter- both physically and mentally- in that late stage of pregnancy that can feel anything but light.

Then, a few weeks ago, we went again. Same beach, now with Isaac on the outside. I showed him the ocean for the first time. It made my heart so happy.

The sea is on my mind today. I feel a strong need for that peace and vastness, that quiet roar.

soon, soon.

For a few weeks now, I’ve been recapping my week in Instagram photos over on my personal blog. Lately, though, I’ve been seriously questioning having two separate blogs (more on that very soon) and wanting to share more of my life here. So I’ve decided to start by moving the weekly recap over here.

Isaac’s two month checkup was Monday, and he weighed in at 13.25 lbs. No wonder he’s been outgrowing 0-3 month clothes! He also got his first vaccinations (poor baby), and was pretty fussy for a couple days after. By Wednesday, though, he was back to his usual smiley self. Lots of rain in the afternoons meant lots of time at home, which was made better by reading and cuddling.

Saturday while my husband was working, a box was delivered and I opened it to find a bunch of beautiful tulips in a personalized vase. He is seriously such a sweet man. We spent yesterday visiting our moms- his in the morning for breakfast (that’s her cuddling Isaac), and then we drove up to my parents’ house for the afternoon. My grandma lives next door to my mom, so there was lots of visiting. There is something so special about four generations together, and seeing everyone adore my kids makes my heart so happy. I am so, so blessed to be a mom, and yesterday was a beautiful reminder of that.

A few links of note…

How to Miss a Childhood - This was shared on Facebook by Shawna, and it’s been on my mind ever since I read it- it impacted me so deeply. I’m definitely guilty of this kind of distraction.

Living Toxin-Free this Spring on Simple Homemade.

15 Ways to Stay Married on the Huffington Post.

The Goal of a Writer on Gions Writer

Currently, I’m…

reading: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and my copy of Elizabeth Messina’s The Luminous Portrait came in the mail this week- so exciting!

listening to: Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. This song reflects my mood lately so perfectly.

seeing: my colorful Mother’s Day tulips

smelling: a yummy soy candle from Target. I forget the brand though.

Happy (slightly belated) Mother’s Day to all of you mamas! You are amazing, and what you do matters so, so much. I hope your day was peaceful and filled with joy. What did you do yesterday?

Yes, two months old.
already.

13.25 pounds. 23 inches.

50 smiles a day. at least.

i love him so.

I changed the name of these posts from “This Week via Instagram”, to “This Was the Week”, just in case I end up feeling limited to only Instagram photos. Maybe I’ll share other photos and fun finds, etc. as well. Anyway… this was the week…

The first half looked pretty much like this:

So we cuddled at home a lot, sometimes getting a bit cabin-feverish.

We made yummy snacks- like smoothies, healthy cookies, and kettle corn.
The smoothie above is a recipe posted by my friend Bree. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana. : ) It’s been a big hit around here.
Seth has been so eager to help me in the kitchen, and I’m finding that if he helps make something he’s a lot more likely to try it. (Usually he is a pretty picky eater but we’re working on it.)

One day we went to a park near the beach.
It was really windy and we got rained out, but just seeing the ocean briefly was exactly what I needed to get through that day.

And of course, the days are pretty much ruled by the littlest member of the family.
Sometimes I think I can hardly stand the cuteness- it’s overwhelming.

A few other things of note this week…

Simple Living Media has a great new blog, Simple Design, which I love already. Tomorrow they’re starting a “show us your thrift haul” linkup, which I think is an excellent excuse to browse a few thrift shops very soon.

25 Rules for Mothers of Sons by Tabitha Studer. I found this on Pinterest,  and I know I’ll be going back to it again and again.

Homemade Spring Cleaning Products on Design Sponge

On my mind:

Outdoor activities for Seth in our backyard- thinking about ways to create a better outdoor play space.

How to keep Seth from hurting the baby without saying “no” every three seconds. He has so much 3-year-old boy energy, which can quickly get out of hand.

I’m hoping to finally find time to start going through our closets, drawers, etc. and simplifying our lives. Too much stuff is toxic. I’m slowly making my way through Organized Simplicity, which is really helpful and definitely inspiring for a simpler existence.

What have you been doing and enjoying this week?
I hope you all have a lovely Sunday!

Well, hello May. umm… what the heck happened? I was still getting used to it being April, and now it’s May… 4th? My baby was officially two months old yesterday. {Please let me stop time for just a while. Please?!?}

I keep trying to do a big post with a ton of photos from April. There are pictures from Easter, from a visit with cousins, from random everyday moments when I actually grabbed my big camera rather than my iPhone. But I have had to come to terms with the fact that that post simply isn’t going to happen right now. Every time I sit down thinking I might have a chance to edit them, the chance is gone before it has even started. Such is life with a 2 month old and a 3 year old. Nonstop, I tell you.

I don’t often turn my computer on until evening lately. If I do, I usually regret it, as it tends to it end in frustration for everyone. Right now my days are best spent immersed in real life with my family. They need my undivided attention. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So instead of waiting until I have time to show you all of April,
I figured a few is better than nothing.

More soon,
or eventually.

xo

This week was full.
Full of growth, love, laughter, family.
We stayed busy. We played. We got things done.

There was heat and sunshine, rain and chilly days- all in the same week.
Spring in South Florida, indeed.

We went to the beach late one afternoon. It was Isaac’s first time- I had so been looking forward to introducing him to the ocean.

I feel like life is taking on a feel of some normalcy- a new normal.
Sometimes I feel like we’re doing so well, and other times I feel completely overwhelmed.
But that is life. And it’s always beautiful.
I’m learning more every day- about managing my time, about patience, and about just letting go.
Being organized, but not freaking out if things don’t go as planned.

How was last week for you?
I hope your Monday is bright!

A few moments of playtime with Isaac.
This was already a few weeks ago. He’s growing fast.

Oh, it was one of those weeks. You know the ones. The best part about it is that it has finally come to end. I lacked in both sleep and patience, and spent most of the last several days with a splitting headache which, of course, didn’t help the patience issue. Sometimes being 3, and being the parent of a 3 year old, is kind of rough. But we made it. And there were truly good moments. I love my phone for always being available to capture them, and then later remind me that they existed. These moments keep me sane and grateful and being so much joy to my life even on harder days.

Seth is spending the night at Grandma’s house tonight, so for the afternoon it’s just me and baby and a much quieter house. Manny will be home from work in an hour and we’ll eat dinner, watch a movie, and most likely stuff ourselves with homemade kettle corn. (Since I learned how to make it, we can’t seem get enough of the stuff. We may need a popcorn intervention…) We were planning for the farmer’s market tomorrow morning but this is turning out to be a grey and rainy weekend so it may just be a lazy, snuggly type of day instead.

How are you spending your evening? your Sunday?
Whatever it is, I hope it’s wonderful.

In these first weeks as a mom of two I’ve been learning that in order to eat the way I want (whole, unprocessed foods, mostly plant-based), I must prepare in advance. I try to make things for the week when Manny is home from work, including basics like grains and beans, and snacks that are easy to grab during the day.

One of my staples is quinoa. I love it, and usually try to have a batch cooked and ready in the fridge. I’ll pull it out to top a salad, or eat with sautéed veggies or as a quick side for dinner. It’s pretty awesome stuff.

Even if you don’t cook it ahead of time, it is a pretty quick food to prepare.
Just combine 2 cups of water per 1 cup of quinoa in a saucepan. {I rinse my quinoa in a fine strainer first to get  rid of any residual bitterness that might be left.}
Bring it to a boil. Then turn it to low and let it simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes.
And done.

I’ve been dressing it up a bit for breakfast lately, like this:

Breakfast Quinoa

Combine 1 cup of rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water in a saucepan, and set to high heat.

While this is heating, add in:
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup chopped apple
pinch of salt
dashes of cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon
*all measurements approximate. adjust to tast. I’m one of those toss-it-in type of cooks : )

Once this comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover, and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
Drizzle with some honey, and enjoy!

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A few interesting things about quinoa:
~ It has 14 grams of protein per serving, and is a complete protein on its own (unlike other grains).
~ Quinoa is actually a seed, and more closely related to beets and spinach than to grain species.
~ In its natural state, it has a bitter-tasting coating called saponin, which is removed for distribution as food. This saponin has been used in South American cultures as a soap, and as an antiseptic for skin injuries.