Hi and happy Thursday! I am borrowing today’s post theme from two of my favorite Chrarlotte-area blogger friends. Julie and Brittany have both shared “Currently” posts lately. I love reading them and I thought it would be a nice way to add a little variety.
Currently reading:
This is actually what I just finished reading. My grandmother mentioned several times how much she enjoyed The Banty House by Carolyn Brown so I breezed through this one when I was looking for an easy read.
I’m having a hard time finding my next book. I’ve started two, The Restaurant and The Things We Wish Were True, but neither has hooked me. I’m going to keep trying with both of them but I’d also love to hear what you guys are reading.
Currently in the market for:
Furniture for my new house. While I’m excited about the final product of making the house exactly what I want it to be, the process of getting it there is a lot. I wish that I could hire someone to share my general vision with that could just make it happen but…budget, haha. That said, I am making progress. I am having my dining table and desk made by an acquaintance who builds custom furniture and I’m super pumped about that. Also high on the list is picking out den and patio furniture.
Currently drinking:
Tons of ice water out of my Takeya water bottle. It has to be within arms reach at all times and I’m fairly certain I drink over 100 ounces on the daily. I’ve also been drinking a couple flavored seltzers every day and recently tried La Croix’s Limoncello flavor for the first time. I like it! Finally, recently discovered white wines from the Sancerre region of France and have found them to be refreshing and a great summer wine.
Currently craving:
Travel, experiences and connection. I can’t believe that it’s been almost six months of COVID life. I am very much so craving travel and making memories through shared experiences.
Currently watching:
Selling Sunset. I both love and hate this show all at the same time. I love it because it’s mindless entertainment and interesting to see the houses they are selling. I hate it because I think the beauty aesthetic presented is unrealistic.
Currently anticipating:
Fall. Clearly, so is Whole Foods Market. I whispered “too early” to myself when I saw this display in store on August 11. I’m mostly looking forward to fall because I love the cooler weather, shorter days and reduction of mosquitos. I would say I am anticipating college football as part of fall but whoooooo knooooows if that’s going to happen this year. What will fall be with no game days and no college football!?
Currently wishing for:
Love. Simple but true.
Currently indulging in:
Taking space from blogging and social media. Necessary forms of self-care sometimes!
Currently feeling blessed by:
Our new nanny. Finn’s preschool let us know they weren’t going to open this fall, which I expected and was relieved to hear, but left us in a childcare pickle. For the last five months I have been able to scrape by but scraping by is not sustainable long-term and was making me feel crazy and wasn’t fair to Finn.
The nanny situation couldn’t have worked out more beautifully for us. We organically found the perfect fit for our co-parenting family and she’s working in both houses. It offers wonderful consistency for Finn. She’s been with us for a little over a week now and I already know without a shadow of a doubt that it was the right decision.
Currently pondering:
Reprioritization, and this is a piece of why I have been quiet here not only in the last week but over the last few months. Trying to figure out how this blog supports where I am in my life and what my future goals are.
Currently looking forward to:
Spending time focused on my own yoga practice by completing my 300-hour yoga teacher training with Asheville Yoga Center this fall. I have my eye on so many virtual modules from Bhakti Vinyasa to Yoga and Trauma to Senior Yoga. While I wish I could complete these modules in person, it’s a gift to be able to do them via Zoom.
QUESTIONS
What are you reading?
What are you drinking?
What do you feel blessed by?
As I contemplate the forward direction of this blog, I am open to any and all thoughts, insight, requests, etc.
Reading: The Boy In the Field by Margot Livesey. Just really beautiful writing.
Drinking: La Croix Tangerine
Blessed by: My friends who “made” me join their Fitbit challenge which has given me a much needed kick in the butt to get outside and get moving.
Wishing for: same as you.
Thank you for sharing this Elle. <3 I am sending love to YOU!
Would you consider leaving the personal blog and restarting your cooking blog?
I don’t think I’d abandon this blog but probably steer it back in the direction of more food/fitness content and less personal.
Hi!
Currently trying to get into where the crawdads
Sing but having trouble…
Recently I have read: Eleanor oliphant is completely fine and 28 summers. Would also recommend olive kitteridge and olive, again.
Thank you Elizabeth! I just finished 28 summers and had mixed feelings on it but overall liked it.
I do so love your blog Jen but completely understand the time and energy you pour into it is incredible. You have some very busy years ahead of you, and I do see much benefit from one social media platform (hopefully ig!!) :):):) Much love and support
Thank you Carla! 🙂
Reading: Daisy Jones & The Six, Rob Lowe ‘s biography, and I Am Malala (with my 7th grader?)
Drinking: more water, Poland Spring Sparkling H20, and I also love a Sancerre!
Blessed by: having flexibility with my work to be able to pivot and be home and available all day to homeschool our kids. It’s been hard at times, but it takes me only a minute to remind myself how fortunate we are to have the ability to support our kids during this time.
I love your blessed by share! So beautiful Kerry!
Omg i just binged all 3 seasons of Selling Sunset too! I couldn’t stop but agree that the beauty/aesthetic side of things is unrealistic too but some of the houses whoa! I just finished Confessions of a Forty Something F*** up and it was such an easy light read!
It’s highly addictive but I have to keep myself grounded in reality, haha! Thanks for the book suggestion!
Reading: Red Notice
Drinking: Water (and occasionally Stiegel Grapefruit Radlers!)
Blessed By: My family, which I am SO lucky to have nearby during this time, and my sweet Goldendoodle!
Wishing For: A normal wedding that clearly won’t happen… and hopefully to be pregnant within the next year (eek!)
Jen, I can’t even remember when/how I found your blog but you are so real, honest and just a JOY! I’ve loved learning about yoga from you and watching Finn grow ❤️ I do hope your keep your IG if that’s a direction you are considering. I also have to say, I love your recipes!!!!! And as someone who loves love – you deserve someone as amazing as you are, and I hope you are able to date or meet that person soon. xoxo
I had to google the grapefruit radler – sounds good! So many exciting life changes coming up for you in the next year. I am so happy for you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your extremely kind words. They made my day.
Currently reading: The Giver is Stars
Drinking: water and Americanos ha
Blessed by: celebrating our son’s first birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET IRA!
Reading: The Vanishing Half. Drinking: Water with crushed ice. Blessed: Family and friends
Love this Karen!
Educated is a must.
Read it a few years ago and loved it. Definitely a must!
OH MY GOD I AM YELLING BECAUSE I CAN”T WAIT TO SHARE THIS!! Have you looked in to Havenly for your decorating dilemma?! Honestly they have great reviews and it is SO AFFORDABLE!! Short explanation… you get matched with a designer and give your style budget etc. They design a room for you and you get a back and forth to make changes to get it right. When you are happy they give you all of the purchasing info. You CAN purchase through them but there has been mixed reviews about that. The great thing is you have the design and the info and you can just get the items when your budget allows. And this is only $129 for a room. Like a blank room!! You can also include items you already have. My basement is getting renovated and I can’t wait to use them when it is complete. I really hope this helps. Sending you love and light and positive vibes from NoVA!
Christina! I LOVE your enthusiasm around this! I only just learned about Heavenly and I think it could be an awesome fit for my needs and my budget. It’s wonderful to hear that people have had a good experience with it!!!
Recently read In Five Years, which was a super quick read and Dear Edward, definitely now in my top 5 favorite books ever
Awesome, thank you for sharing Laura!!!
We moved into a larger house in November and I also struggled a bit with adding furniture. We ended up getting most of our new pieces from Wayfair for affordability reasons (and we also have a toddler so I felt like this was the time to purchase lower cost stuff in case he damages any of it! yikes! Plus we have a cat!). Decorating is not my forte at all. I am a math major, work in finance and am so left-brained. I see pics of other people’s houses and think – gosh I wish our house looked like that!! But it just doesn’t and probably won’t unless I spend the money to hire someone! I would like to have my friends come over and hang pictures at our house sometime, though. I think if they wore masks, we could safely do that.
Reading: I just started “separation anxiety” but it’s too early to tell if it’s something I will like. I’ve been drawn to more light books during the pandemic but try to read one book/month on race. So maybe just give yourself permission to read light, fluffy stuff if you are struggling to get into books? Drinking: I’ve pregnant so I have been drinking Gruvi n/a prosecco as a treat in the evenings when my husband has a beer. It’s only 50 calories and tastes like the real thing. I poor it into a wine glass and feel like I’m having real prosecco. I’m on my last 4-pack and won’t be reordering it because I know I’m going to end up with gestational diabetes due to being on prednisone (which raises your blood sugar). But I’m thoroughly enjoying this last 4 back (It’s the 8th 4-pack I’ve ordered this summer! It’s been a HOT summer so I’ve been enjoying them more often than I would drink a glass of wine or prosecco!). And I’m feeling blessed that we all remain healthy and still have our jobs. Good call on hiring a nanny! It is just really impossible to focus on work while having a toddler. We did that for 7 weeks in Mar/Apr and those were the hardest 7 weeks of my life. Way harder than mat leave surprisingly… 2yos require a ton of attention and energy and it’s tough to do that when you have work to get done.
Hey Lisa – I am also struggling with nice things v. the realities of having a small child and two large dogs in the house. Decorating is also lost on me. I just look at beautifully designed rooms and have no idea how people think of these things, haha. I might try one of the online design services.
The non-alcoholic Prosecco that you’ve been drinking sounds lovely and like a perfect summer treat for pregnancy. I hope that you are feeling well.
Reading: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, and I truly think you would enjoy it as much as I am, having followed your reading journey over the years!
Drinking: Coffee
Blessed by: Franklin, my pup. And a sweet friend who held space for me last night in a way I didn’t even know I needed.
Wishing for: Love, too.
Your blog: I LOVE your blog because I so connect with you and your journey. Yes, I appreciate the recipes and fitness posts but the personal ones speak to my heart. I hope reprioritization involves more of that, but ONLY if it serves you too.
Sending you lots of love, Jen.
Maeve! Your comment brought a smile to my face! I think you have the most beautiful heart.
I am reading “The Last Mrs. Parrish” which is definitely a page-turner, I also just flew through two books by Kimberly McCreight – “Reconstructing Amelia” and “A Good Marriage.” All of the three are kind of psychological dramas/thrillers, I guess you could say, so if you have any interest in that type of book I’d recommend! Some non-thrillers I’ve read recently too include “The Summer List” by Amy Mason Doan which was great, and “Summer of ’69” by Elin Hildebrand.
Hey Sarah – I read The Last Mrs Parrish and also flew through it. I have not read the other books you mention (minus Summer of 69) so I’ll check those out!!
Love your blog Jen! It has always provided me such comfort, especially when excepting and having my son, Wesley. Your life seems so cozy! I too struggle with balance between my #1 job (Wesley) and my work as I own a housekeeping business and I do sales and office work for my family tree and arborist business. At the end of the day, being the best mom I can be is my top priority. As an ex-workaholic I tired to do too much in his first year and ended up burning out, setting boundaries for myself really helped (no is a complete sentence!). I’m sure the same goes for your thoughts on weather or not to continue the blog! I send you positive thoughts through the ethers that you find love, love is beautiful and you deserve love ALWAYS! I’m currently reading Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka. Currently drinking black iced coffee, watermelon kombucha and as always, seltzer in any form. <3 <3 <3
Michelle – thank you for your kind words about my blog and for your encouragement around time/energy and love! 🙂
I have been in the mood for lighter reads, so I have been reading thrillers by Lisa Jackson and romances by Christina Lauren. I am about to start The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James because it is my book club’s selection for the month.
Apart from one cold brew coffee each morning, I generally only drink water. I occasionally have a LaCroix, and the Pamplemousse flavor is my current favorite.
I feel blessed that my sons (twin boys, 8.5 years old) have remained happy and healthy during these 5 months of mostly staying home. They are doing fine with remote school, too, while I know that some kids are struggling.
I first stumbled across your blog through a Google search for Whole30 meals, and your food posts remain one of my favorite parts of the blog. You inspire me with your healthy approach to eating!
Hi Sharon – thanks for commenting and sharing your reads! Also, I appreciate you reading and I hope to incorporate more food into future posts! I am so happy to hear that your boys are doing well. <3
I’ve been reading old Anne River Siddons books and they have been the perfect light, but not silly books!
Have you looked into The Havenly for home Furniture/decoration? I haven’t used it myself but have friends who have and loved it. It’s $150 a room and all online!
I think one of the online design services might be an awesome fit for my needs and budget. I only learned of Havenly recently but people seem to love it!
Hi Jen, you might consider checking out Modsy to help with furniture and room design. About a year ago I finally realized that I couldn’t figure out new furniture or how to decorate my living room and I tried Modsy. Not only did they help me find furniture that I love, they came up with a new arrangement for my room too. They will work with existing furniture you have and budgets you set for your new items. They helped with my wall color and tying in a large piece of furniture my dad made, but didn’t match other styles I was gravitating toward. It’s completely online and you can find promo codes— I believe I paid under $100 for my room design. So worth it to know items you order are going to fit the room and have an expert help with the design!
Hi Jackie – I really appreciate the recommendation and think the online design services could be a perfect fit for me and my budget.
I love your blog! Personal blogs such as yours are my favorite! I love peeks into others lives from the meals, to the workouts, to the daily going-on’s, to the recipes! Your blog brings me a lot of joy in its honesty & vulnerability. However, if it doesn’t feel like it’s moving in the direction you want or adding joy or value to your life that is completely understandable! Make the choice that is best for you & know your readers will happily & whole heartedly support you!
I highly recommend The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. It’s a murder mystery but well written and the ending was totally not what I anticipated. Probably one of my favorite books this year, along with American Dirt!
In addition to drinking lot of water, I have gotten back into an occasional glass of Pinot Noir. For some reason red wines have been my go to lately instead of whites or Rose’.
Take time for yourself. You seem to take on a lot but look how much you have accomplished.
I can understand wanting a partner in life. Honestly, I reconciled with my husband late last year (we were in the process of divorce), and it has been difficult. Funny how we think having someone in our lives will make us happy. I sometimes envy my single friends because of their independence and lifestyles and reflect on how my own life would have been if I were single. Guess the grass does always seem greener on the other side ;-)!
I just finished “In five years”- great, quick read. Also “Before we were yours”- which isn’t brand new but I loooved it. I hope you get your wish soon 🙂
I just checked out ‘One Day’ from the library after watching the amazing movie on Netflix. I hope the book is even better!
I love how you share your journey to finding what’s working for you in different phases. It helps me to re-evaluate where I’m currently at. Thank you for being so open!
I just finished reading Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. It’s YA and not what I expected, but I LOVED it. And bonus, it’s a series so I can dig deeper. Now I’m reading Light Changes Everything by Nancy E Turner.
Current drink of choice is True Lemon Raspberry mixed with a scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen.
I would love to learn more of the background of Yoga from you!
Currently Reading: The Girl with the Louding Voice and just finished, The Vanishing Half, which I see others have also mentioned.
Currently Drinking: waterloo sparking waters
Currently Blessed: my family and health. I’m away from my husband and daughter for the week to take care of my brother from hip surgery in Vail, CO. (p.s. if you ever need hip surgery, go see Dr. Marc Philippon at Vail Hospital, he’s one of the doctors for team USA and was the only doctor that actually helped my brother, he did his right hip last year and just did his left hip last week). I feel blessed that my husband is able to take care of my daughter while i’m here (I live in Denver, so it’s really only 1.5 hrs away). Blessed for my health, blessed that my brother is on the road to recovery and blessed that we are in the mountains with trails right out the door (albeit smoky, please pray for rain here!)
As for the direction in your blog, I personally love the personal part sprinkled into the blog which helps me feel connected, but only what you are comfortable showing. My daughter is just 1.5 weeks younger than Finn, so I feel especially connected when you talk about him as we are going through much of the same phases. I also LOVE your workouts and save them off to refer later. Maybe try to get your dad to also help with sharing some of his recipes since when you go back to FL the good always look delicious! Good luck with everything and I hope you find a balance that works for you.
Hi Kathy – thanks for your comment! I am super interested in reading The Vanishing Half. Did you like it?
RE: the hip surgery. Thank you for the hip surgeon recommendation as that may be in my future. I googled him and will keep him bookmarked.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on my blog! <3 (And for reading!)
I just read American Dirt and rave about it to anyone who will listen. Its an easy read in terms of you can’t put it down, but its about a seriously sad situation.
I just finished up my first box of the Laird Hamilton super food coffee creamer and can’t wait to get more! I found it at Whole Foods and is a nice way to treat myself in the morning.
I support whatever you need to do in terms of blogging, but I’d love to see more vegetarian/plant based meal ideas and I always love when you post yoga videos on here. I love having a 15-25 minute yoga flow to mix in with my other workouts.
Im currently reading “Raising Your Spirited Child.” Lol
Drinking coffee and ice water-regular and sparkling.
Wishing for life without masks.
Haha – let me know if you’d recommend the book! 🙂 I would also love to lose the mask.
I’m a long time reader of your blog but rarely comment because I overthink what I want to say and how to say it….delete, retype, delete… ?
Just wanted to say that your blog is one of my absolute favourites! I love your raw honesty, your positive outlook, your willingness to see the good in the world, your vulnerability and openness and your desire to learn and grow and be a better human ?You inspire me in so many different ways! I love your recipes, the fitness/workout ideas and the posts about Finn and your beautiful dogs.
I can’t imagine the time, effort and creativity that goes into writing a blog but I want to say thank you and I hope it’s something you will continue with in a way that fits into your life!
Hi Maria – I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to share this comment and for your extremely kind words. It truly touches my heart that you choose to read my blog and shared these thoughts with me! <3
Reading: just started Evvie Drake starts over – it’s an easy and entertaining beach read. Just finished where the crawdads sing, which I loved. Waiting on the vanishing half and the girl with the louding voice from the library! Also loved the silent patient and Redemption by David Baladacci
Drinking – water, coffee, Spindrift, and hard cider … added a puppy to the pack who just turned 5mos old and was just spayed… it’s an adventure!
Blessed: said puppy, my older dog, who is my best girl, and my cat … walks with a friend, and brownie m&ms
Blog: I’ve been following along for many many years, and you are one of my faves. I’ve loved watching your little family grow, as well as watch you grow into this strong, warrior mama, as you navigated the new path that you never imagined. Your posts resonate with me, and I feel like I really know you, and appreciate how vulnerable and genuine you are. While I can certainly understand your maybe switch back to fitness etc, I’d really miss reading about YOU.
Reading: Eat, Pray, Love. It took me so long to actually read this book as I thought the movie had spoiled it for me. I was so wrong. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it! Also, if you haven’t listened to elizabeth gilbert…I recommend checking out some of her recent interviews on various podcasts. She has brought me alot of peace and introspection. She is the female hero we all need right now. <3
I’m taking Therapeutic Essentials of Yoga from AYC in December. If I had the time, and money, I would take one after another… so many and all so interesting!
I love reading your blog because of your honesty and how grounded you keep your life. I’m sure you’ll be able to feel out the best decisions. Sending hugs and good wishes!
Btw if you want a fluffy romcom book, Beah Read by Emily Henry is pretty cute. It makes fun of romance tropes 😉
Beach* Read