Four Little Things That Spark Joy During Quarantine

Now that we've all lost track of what day it is and are spending more time at home than ever with no end in sight, let's celebrate the little things that have sparked joy, shall we?! Here's four small things that have made a big impact during quarantine: 

1. A morning walk - with coffee. BH (before Henry), the Hubs and I had a standard and simple morning routine. We'd make to-go cups of Nespresso, walk Woodley, chat about the day ahead and have a moment just for us at DC's doggie hot spot (the Congressional Cemetery). When Henry was born, we were able to keep the routine for the first few months using his more frequent naps to our advantage. But like most parents of a toddler, everything went out the window as soon as Henry was mobile and especially once he went to daycare. Flash forward to the first ten weeks of quarantine when Henry was home from daycare and we reclaimed our morning walks. Although they included frequent stops for a leaf or to find sticks to throw in the creek near our house, we started the day on a better foot. Now that Henry is back at daycare, the Hubs and I are walking Woodley after we drop little H off and reclaiming a piece of our mornings. I've admittedly become obsessed with hitting 10,000 steps a day but I swear I also feel sharper and more alert!

2. Le Labo's Rose 31. My mom has always used rose water and over the years it's become my comfort smell. I've been a loyal Jo Malone wearer but my match was met with Le Labo's Rose 31. It's feminine and floral without being too much. It also smells natural without that sometimes artificial smell that perfumes can have. 

3. Smith Teamaker. I've always loved the ritual of drinking tea. And before I met Smith Teamaker, I regularly drank Montana Tea and Spice's Evening in Missoula. A taste from home that I thought was complex and very good. But then enter Smith Teamaker... Holy buckets y'all! This tea has blown my mind. Instead of snagging a second cup of coffee, I love Rose City Genmaicha - No. 1912 (I mean you can taste the toasted grains of rice in this green tea) or the Tahitian Green Iced Tea if it's especially hot out. The smell of this iced tea is tropical and it's a great way to treat yourself during the day. And for the evening, look no further than Meadow - No. 67.

4. Flowers. Blooms of every size and shape make me swoon. For mother's day, the Hubs got me a subscription with Farmgirl Flowers. I love that every shipment is a surprise. Sometimes peonies sometimes ranunculus but all brining spunk and sweet smells to our house. And between Farmgirl Flowers shipments, I'm slowly getting to know the Bozeman flower scene. Unlike a bigger city, grocery store flowers are not a thing so it's a been a little more work. But thus far I've got excited about The Flower Bar (bouquets available at 10 am on Fridays) and Foxglove Flower Farm (where you can pick the flowers yourself like the blooms pictured here or purchase a bouquet at the Tuesday Lindley Park farmer's market).

Life by Design

COVID continues and we're keeping life fresh. Another trip to Big Sky Lake for the Fourth with family (hooray!), slowly but surely finishing our home design (I mean... this fruit bowl from Woonwinkel and that Franco Albini ottoman --- SWOON) and a parents only day fishing and reading on the Gallatin - winning!

What are you diggin' into m'dears?!

#101in1001 Update

Whelp, m'dears! A full month of self-isolating at home and another month working on my #101in1001. Thankfully, I was still able to cross a couple of items off my to-do list despite feeling like being stuck at home "blows."

✔ 43. The Sashimi Bar.
✔ 91. Workout at least five times a week for three months.

Instead of their normal offering of a prefix/chef's choice meal, during the COVID-19 pandemic Bozeman's Sashimi Bar is doing an a la carte takeout menu. You guys! If you live in Bozeman, you must check it out ASAP. Easily the best sushi we've had in Montana and there are BAO BUNS! A small but important thing to note is that the Sashimi Bar also makes its own pickled ginger to serve alongside their sushi and it is... THE REAL DEAL! We are very satisfied customers and will be ordering in for the second weekend in a row tonight, and can't wait to try out the restaurant on a future special occasion. It also feels great to support the small businesses in our community. This is a trying time for everyone and we're choosing to financially support as many of our favorite local joints as possible.

Working out on the regular has helped me keep a routine and helped me manage my stress. And in these circumstances, getting my sweat on five times a week would not have been possible without Peloton. Plus Cody Rigsby's energy and joy is impossible to ignore. Although I desperately miss in-person classes, I've also enjoyed trying out new workouts as everyone is forced to go online. I tried this free 30-minute pilates workout featured by Goop and converted our dining room into a dance floor for Dance Church a few Sundays.

So what's up next... after some not great snacking, I'm ready for a juice cleanse to detox (#69). I might wait until Henry goes back to daycare because I've never done a cleanse and need all my wits about me with our toddler terrorist. I'm thinking about this beginner cleanse program from Pressed Juicery. Thoughts?

I'm also intrigued by going without TV for a week (#84) while we still shelter in place because our screen time has definitely increased. I have about $115 worth of clothing to sell to reach my goal of selling $500 worth of clothing (#87) this year and am on track to cross that goal off my list next month.

What are you doing to keep on the up and up? Tell me all your secrets!

Bookworm Update

If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic is giving us all an excuse to read more. I keep a long to-read list in the notes app of my iPhone and am happy to tackle a few on the list.

Thus far in 2020, I've tackled five books: Hey Ladies!: The Story of 8 Best Friends, One Year and Way, Way Too Many Emails (a quick read that reminded me of Sex & the City but with younger and trashier women you don't really care about), The Family Upstairs (I love a thriller and this one is definitely a page turner,)  Red, White and Royal Blue (the love story you wish would hit the pages of Esquire), Creative Spaces: People, Homes, and Studios to Inspire (from one of my favorite modern

mercantiles - this book highlights several stories of creatives from across the country and is gorgeous to look at) and Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators (glad I read it but it's a bummer knowing the complaints of women were ignored for decades and that still happens in 2020. Silver-lining Harvey Weinstein contracted coronavirus?)


Currently, I'm reading both an interior design coffee table book, Habitat: The Field Guide of Decorating, and a novel by Sally Rooney - the winner of The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award - Conversations with Friends. I love having a coffee table book in the rotation so that I can pick it up while Henry plays quietly in the morning, though that's increasingly rare given our new battle with the terrible twos. Coffee table books are easy to put down and pick up again, which makes them the perfect pick for toddler life.

Up next I plan to read The Holdout (a nod toward my old Grand Jury Days), I'm Thinking of Ending Things: A Novel (that thriller jam, folks!) and The Sun Down Motel. Once I've finished Habitat, I'll also pick up Kate Spade's All in Good Taste (all about hosting because once this shelter in place is over - it's on!)

What are you reading, m'dears?!