One More Day

One more day. I just needed one more day. I start these holidays with a crazy schedule thinking that the to-do list I would also like to get done can happen in an hour here or an hour there. Everything always takes longer than I assume and I hit Sunday night thinking....I just needed one more day to get to everything. Then I look back at the fun and the laughs and the good times with people I love and I try and tell myself that's what's really important, not if I cleaned the baseboards in my house. It was a great holiday and I'm thankful for that. My mom and I celebrated Wednesday night because she had to work at the hospital Thursday. I spent the actual day with my best friend's family and we had a wonderful time eating too much food, drinking too much wine and running around outside since the weather was so gorgeous. The rest of the weekend was spent with friends, slogging through a long bike ride and putting up Christmas decorations around the house. I hope you had a wonderful holiday as well. 

Thankful

I was talking to a friend this weekend and we were thinking about the fact that this year is coming to a close. You won't be surprised that the first thought in my head was how will we remember 2016? Both of us talked of challenges and frustrations. Neither of us has had a perfect year. It hasn't been all bad, but neither of us said, damn, it's been a great one. I guess that might be a good thing. When you have one of those amazing years the next will undoubtedly not be able to live up to the last and therefor is guaranteed to disappoint. That's something she spoke of too, life being peaks and valleys of a sort. There have been one or two developments this year that I'm extremely grateful for, but I guess when I look back at 2016 the things I'm thankful for will be the constants that always get me through the valleys.

Miss Austen giving me kisses...she just wants food, but, whatever...

Wine....

My camera.....

My best friend letting me text her giant diatribes of word vomit when necessary....she should get paid, it's ridiculous....

The knowledge that when I produce or create something that I love I feel immediately better and more in control of my life....

That everything changes....

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I'm taking Friday off but will meet you back here Monday will all new posts.

Love,
K

Raking Leaves

Life, as it always does, has continued to march on. Little by little all the normal things that happen in the course of a week have happened and my heart has slowly started to heal from disappointment. My niece and nephew were in town this weekend and we had a great time bopping around Richmond and eating too much food. They stay at my mom's house when they come and she offered them $10 each to help her rake leaves. They actually had fun doing it. I supervised, management and all.

I think its important for them to learn the value of work, the value of working your way up. Along with lessons like that, they will have disappointments as well, big and small, to deal with. My first instinct is to shield them from things but if I'm not honest with them about what life has in store, they won't be able to deal with the bad things as they get older. Watching someone go through pain, even if it means good will come in the end, is hard. Being patient is hard. Knowing that everything that happens offers us an opportunity to learn and grow even if we don't see it right away is hard. Life is hard. We, and the munchkins, will make it through the tough times, together.

It's Friday, Love

{ Grey Nails and Vintage Tweed }

I'm emotionally exhausted from this week and I ain't too proud to say it. Going to hibernate this weekend, try and get some stuff done around the house, and hope to start fresh next week. On a positive note, thank you to all of the amazing women, both friends and colleagues, in my life. We have supported each other this week and it has made all the difference in the world. I love you guys. See ya Monday....

{ Buy this }

{ Photographed a really fun Yelp RVA Event at Muse Paint Bar }

{ Champagne that was never opened }

{ Hate these guys }

Autumn Salad

There should have been more fresh green in this salad but when I got home from the grocery I gasped in horror when I realized I had accidentally purchased cilantro instead of parsley. I despise cilantro with every fiber of my being. It quickly found its way to the trash can and I sighed, oh well. I still made this yummy salad which I've been enjoying all week. Make some quinoa, roast some sweet potatoes and veggies, throw in some chopped apples and top with a homemade dressing. You can find the full recipe here. So good. Enjoy! 

Redistricting

When I took my new job I knew I would miss DC. How could I not? It had become a second home. For the last 6sih years I'd spent almost a night a week there. I knew the good places to stay and my favorite places to eat. I'd made some great friends and knew where to get the good non-Starbucks coffee. I knew what the view from the Speaker's Balcony looked like and what fashionable, yet practical, shoes made the day bearable when walking the halls of Congress. How could I not miss it?

But, if there's one thing I've learned in this life nothing lasts forever and I knew my time working in DC would always be a special season that I would cherish. I hadn't been there since May. It was probably better that I had to quit cold turkey. Best to rip the band aid off quickly. Life wouldn't be the same no matter how much I tried to fit my new circle into an old box I told myself. But I tried. I certainly tried.

Then, little by little, I realized that it would be different and that was ok. I would be ok. I've found that new homeostasis that my friend Kristen had been promising would come. I guess its ironic then that last week, after finally acclimating to my new life, I found myself back in DC. It was so great and I love that it will still be a part of my life.

In the end life will be a blend of the old and the new......a blend of old loves and new crushes. DC, super glad we don't have to break up.