I am typing this post and feeling a bit like a zombie right now. I had the worst night of sleep last night. I didn’t stop reading until 12:30a and then woke up at 2:45 and could NOT go back to sleep. My mind was all over the place. I read my Kindle in the dark for most of the time that I was awake so I wouldn’t go crazy just lying there and overthinking everything in life.
I finished my book, The Wife Upstairs, which was a twisted thriller that’s a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. I personally liked the book because it took place in Birmingham, Alabama and I lived there for three years in my 20s. It was super easy to read and I breezed through it in a few days.
The ending of The Wife Upstairs didn’t exactly wind me down to go back to sleep so I finally decided at 5:45a to do Rod Stryker’s yoga nidra meditation. It was wonderful for soothing my anxiety and getting me relaxed and I did snooze for about an hour after. I’ve shared this meditation many times before and I cannot recommend it enough. Rod’s voice is so soothing and yoga nidra is such a beautiful practice to do.
I also love listening to sound baths to help me relax and sleep. Here’s a link to a three-hour sound bath on YouTube and a 20-minute sound bath on Spotify.
Back to books, next on my reading list is Kristin Hannah’s new book, The Four Winds. I’m already looking forward to getting in bed and reading it tonight! It has a 4.5 star rating on GoodReads and my grandmother just finished it and enjoyed it. She said she liked The Great Alone a little better so I’m eager to see what I think.
Last thing RE: Kristin Hannah. I started Firefly Lane this week on Netflix and OMG I am obsessed. Kathryn Heigl is SO good in her role as Tully Hart. Firefly Lane is one of my favorite books ever and I think they’re doing a great job on the Netflix series. I did see in the credits that Kristin Hannah is co-producing so I’m sure that helps.
If you’re wondering what relevance the dog picture has here, I snapped this while I was watching Firefly Lane. The pups are excellent company…and Benji is so lanky, haha. I’m eagerly awaiting his coat to grow back out after a not so great experience at the groomer about 5-6 weeks ago. I’ve learned the hard way that you have to be much more discerning about groomers when it comes to the doodle haircut than the golden. I’m still trying to figure out what the perfect coat length is going to be for Benji. His coat is much more poodle than golden so we struggle a lot with matting. I’m trying to up my brushing game. I think I’m going to make it a new nightly TV routine after Finn is down.
Finn started art classes last week and he loves it! His weekly activities right now are swim lessons, art class and a MyGym class. He really enjoys his swim lessons and is making great progress. He’s almost got his front and back float down without assistance. When he turns three I want to swap his MyGym class for a weekly gymnastics/tumbling class at a nearby gymnastics gym. I think we’ll also do soccer shots at some point in his 3s too. Never did I ever think I’d get so excited about toddler extracurriculars.
We also want to get him back in preschool 3x/week in the fall. I’m hoping he gets a spot. We love our sweet preschool but they were closed this fall and opened with limited capacity this spring so we decided to wait until fall to send him back. We will ABSOLUTELY be keeping our nanny with us even with preschool. It’s only a few hours a few days a week AND she’s a modern day Mary Poppins. We hit the nanny jackpot with her.
Hoooowwwwww is this boy almost three already!? I am just adore being his mom and it’s the most rewarding and soul-satisfying thing I’ve ever done in my life. We were eating dinner together on Monday night and sitting side-by-side. He looped his arm around my neck and pulled my cheek to his and said, “oh mommy….you’re my best friend forever.”
Thanks to your encouragement, we got a kitchen helper! I went with the GuideCraft kitchen helper and Finn is a fan. He loves the shape cutouts on the side and after I put it together he said, “wow…it’s amazing.” It is MUCH more secure than the IKEA step-stool we were using and puts him at a much better height to reach the counter. THANK Y’ALL for telling me to go for it. We will get so much use out of this over the next couple of years. I really want Finn to have positive experiences helping in the kitchen and I think this will be a great asset for that.
And finally, my girlfriends and I have committed to getting back in a bi-weekly girls night dinner groove and we’re off to a strong start in 2021. We went to the new SouthPark location of Dilworth Tasting Room this week and it was amazing…food, service, ambiance, wine list…all 100%! We all agreed that it was getting a spot in the regular rotation.
Here’s a look at what we ordered. We started with a charcuterie plate and then I went to the ladies room and came back to find that Dorie and Bevin had ordered a feast for dinner! We had truffle fries (of course), pistachio-crusted seared tuna (look at all that avocado…and the tuna was melt in your mouth good), crispy pork belly and stuffed peppers with lamb, beef, chipotle aioli and chimichurri. Everything tasted great. Definitely recommend checking out this new location!
This was such a fun post to write. Do y’all like these types of posts that are kind of a little bit of everything? Sometimes I think I don’t have much to write about and then I end up 1,000 words in about day-to-day life! 🙂
QUESTIONS
What do you do when you can’t sleep in the middle of the night?
What are you reading right now?
What extracurriculars do your kids enjoy?
I am so glad you like firefly lane. I was hesitant to try it since the book was so good! My favorite by far is the nightingale and I read that’s becoming a movie!!
Lately I can’t sleep at all at night due to anxiety over just about everything these days I either read ( my book club is reading the flight attendant) or binge watch. I just finished Emily in Paris it was so light and fun and now I’m into Weeds!
I just saved the meditation you posted and will try and start my day with it for a better start to the morning.
I love these types of posts they are so real and relatable
I had several others comment on Instagram that they also thought it was well done! I loved the Nightingale too.
I’m sorry you’re also having problems sleeping. Try that meditation. It’s wonderful.
Thank you for reading, Julie. I value you!
You can’t please everyone and, frankly, how do you know she isn’t just taking off the mask for a photo? That’s right, you don’t.
The world does need to move on otherwise how will anyone have a livelihood?
Yes! They are great posts! Thanks ?
Yay, thank you Alaina!
These are my favourite posts! Your dinner looks SO amazing. I miss going out with girlfriends SO MUCH. In my area you are not allowed to associate with or visit anyone outside of your household so all my social interaction lately is through zoom. I cannot wait until this pandemic is behind us!
Hi Amber, I’m glad you enjoy these posts. Our restaurants are open and we are allowed to indoor dine. I’ve started going out again in the last few months to support our local restaurants. And it has been REALLY nice to spend time with my friends doing something that feels “normal.” I’m so sorry that you are so limited right now. I know it’s so hard.
I absolutely love these kind of posts from you!
Yay, I’m so happy to hear it. Thank you Kimberly!
Oh my goodness! The toddler art class! Where is this? We are looking for something for our 2 year old to get involved in and be around other kiddos her age.
Noah’s Art! Owned by the same people as MyGym. You get a discount if you do both!
Love these types of posts! Thanks for writing 🙂
I am impressed how you seem to have zero covid concerns and never seem to be masked or limiting activities. I love your posts but I think you bear a responsibility as a social influencer.
I am actually very mindful of covid. We wore masks any time that we were not at the table, as mandated. We took them off on our way out to take a photo. The restaurant was empty. We weren’t within 6 or even 20 feet of anyone.
I wear a mask in every single indoor public place I go as mandated. I teach yoga and fitness in a mask in Charlotte as mandated by the state. I participate in activities as permitted by local governments and follow all restrictions and guidelines. Restaurants in Charlotte are open and they are struggling. So many local businesses have closed. It’s a personal choice to go out and it’s one that I make along with my friends. I also teach yoga and fitness in-person because many local gyms and studios have closed during the pandemic and I want to support the studios that I work for so that they can stay open…and I can have a job.
Restaurants are known super spreaders. Advertising how you go from one to another (as you have done for months, before and after getting Covid yourself), showing yourself as you meet people you don’t live with (and most times no masks in sight, including at your gyms), have your kid going from place to place without masks is *not* being mindful. America would not be the as bad as it is if people really understood what it means to take COVID precautions. I really like your posts but your carelessness makes me cringe.
So awesome to see friends out together and supporting local businesses!
I agree with Alexander and don’t think you need to explain or justify your actions. I believe you are a responsible and conscious adult and should be given the benefit of the doubt. I am a front line worker and still believe we need to adapt as a society and get back to life in a safe manner as you are. I believe we all need to practice grace during these times. Im sure the comments are meant to be out of kindness and concern, but let us also show trust in others.
Actually, sadly, I dont think they are out of kindness and concern but people being unhappy and placing blame onto others. I can tell Jen is very cautious and it makes me sad to see people harp on others when they see such a SMALL tidbit of their daily life.
As for you Jen, I know you have a small circle of great friends that you interact with right now and I do the same. I have to for my mental health. During Covid I took a nanny job as to be more careful and recently went back to my job at a center. My mental health was struggling big time.
I bet that tuna/avocado just melted in your mouth!
Finn obviously adores you. It is so sweet when they say such things. I love that he is actively enjoying these activities. I cant wait to get my little guy in Tae Kwon Do!
I love reading posts like these with a little bit of everything!!!! I can’t get enough! Thank you for writing!!!
I also enjoy these posts!!!
I have actually stopped following a few bloggers since Covid began because I feel they handle things inappropriately and you are definitely not one of those. I have never gotten the impression from you that you are not taking it seriously (In regards to comment above).
There must be something with the full moon tonight that has been interrupting sleep this week because I only got around 2 1/2 hours Tuesday night ? and I know two other friends that had the exact same issue (and my circle of friends that I discuss sleep issues with is not that big?)
Love these posts!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
I love these posts!
I get up frequently in the night to take my dog potty as she has medical issues and I often have trouble falling back asleep after. I know they say it’s not good for sleep but the only thing that helps me turn my thoughts off and fall back asleep is putting a show on my laptop! It can’t be a happy bright show either – has to be on the darker side – so weird!
Love these posts! I have. 2 year old and appreciate the info about the kitchen tower since I’ve been considering buying one for my daughter. You are also one of my main blogs used for recipe ideas because I love how you don’t follow any specific food restrictions and your recipes are always so delicious! Thank you!
Great update! So glad to see the Dilworth Tasting Room coverage for their new spot. It’s beautiful and had a great food and wine menu. They knocked it out of the park!
So glad to see you boy with all his lessons and enjoying life- he looks so happy!
These posts are my favorite. I love the Finn updates – awww, he is such a sweetie!! My boy is 2 as well and have been thinking about getting one of those towers. I don’t cook as much as you do, but I think we’d still get good use of it. 🙂 Love the pics from Dilworth Tasting Room as well – cannot wait to check that out. Food looks amazing! Have a great weekend Jen.
Also meant to say that I hate not being able to sleep – and that itself gives me anxiety even if I don’t have it to start with. Thanks for sharing the meditations. And I hope you get to catch up on some zzz’s.
Oh yes I love reading these posts! When I can’t sleep – I just lay there. Might have to give this tactic a try!
I just finished Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale” – that was a good one, too! I’ll have to check out this new one of hers! Thank you for sharing!
Agree we others. It is a pandemic, and it is not over. You can go to a restaurant if you wish with your family, or bubble, but not with friends. And what is the most cautious to encourage restaurants is takeout now. And we have the new variants that are there, so, it is NOT over.
Hi Jen, I’m so glad you had the opportunity to go out with friends and that some restaurants are open in Charlotte to support! It is so important for our health to interact with our loved ones, especially during tough times. I hope you don’t listen to the posts who are puffed up with pride in how they approach the pandemic that has a 99% survival rate. Please keep going out with friends because you are doing so in a healthy way by following all the rules and regulations.
I say this because my Grandma passed away a few weeks ago. She went into isolation from my Grandpa 4 months before she passed because of the California Covid restrictions at the assisted care facility that they lived at. She had fallen and broken her hip and she didn’t even have covid when they forced her into isolation from family and her husband. She eventually got covid from nurses the last couple weeks before she passed. I think she would’ve recovered with flying colors had she been able to be with her husband. All that to say is that being with family and loved ones MATTERS to stay healthy too.
When I can’t sleep I listen to Michael Sealy’s sleep hypnosis. They are magical!
I really enjoy these types of posts! Sadly I feel like ai have no extracurricular these days. I adopted a dog two months ago and he has taken over my life (mostly in a goid way)!
I love your this or that posts! I’m always all over the place, so it’s fun to hop around and see what’s been going on! I went to the new Dilworth Tasting Room the other night and it was awesome! Thank you also for all those book suggestions! Finn is too cute for words…he is soooo lucky that you are his mama!