A few times a week we talk about our “Highs + Lows” from the day (or several days if we’ve missed a few evenings). I think it can be so easy to get caught up in only focusing on the positive, that I always find this to be a good way to acknowledge both the good, and more challenging, times. It often lends itself to further conversation… and it’s my hope that when the girls get old enough that it will be a good way to validate one another, in both the good and bad, as a family unit… to find ways to celebrate the highs, and ways to work through the lows, as a team….

So this past Friday I put it out there on instagram stories, asking people to share their highs/lows from the past week. I typically don’t go back on my phone until after the girls go to bed, but for some reason, right before we entered into bedtime routines, I perused through some of the responses.

One mom said that her low was giving birth to their stillborn born son, and the high was their amazing nurse. I felt immense sadness for her and amazement at how even in such a tragic situation she was still able to find something positive. It put my “tiredness” into perspective, and I spent a little extra time reading, singing, and hugging my little girls before bed…..

It’s funny because in therapy Irvin Yalom, a well known Psychiatrist, said:

“Let your patients matter to you, to let them enter your mind, influence you, change you – and not conceal this from them“

This woman’s message, of her personal highs/lows from the week, influenced me… they changed my perspective on my approach to bedtime that evening (I know that sounds so trivial compared to what she was/is going through) and after I put the girls down, I immediately messaged her back, letting her know.

I often wonder, if this was modified to fit the everyday lives we live, what this might look like? How we might interact with people differently if we allowed their experiences to matter to us. So as we head into the week ahead, I’m doing so in a way that allows myself to be open to the experiences of others teaching me.

Have a good week everyone!

(Added the olive tree to our entryway… loving the height it adds to the space… bench, baskets, olive tree, olive tree basket, pillow, rug, mirror)

(Rainy Friday, so tossed on the comfy ribbed joggers + pullover…. sweater coat)

(When a box is much more fun than anything else in the house….)

(Scenes from Saturday morning’s walk… amazing how you can live in a city all your life and find new things all the time… never knew this orange farm was in the middle of everything…)

(Saturday casual…. plaid top, half zip (identical), joggers)

(Headed to my sister + brother in laws for a little backyard happy hour)

(Then headed home for some Chinese take-out…. always a favorite)

(Just can’t resist that handsome little face…)

(Binged watched Your Honor last week… catching up on the new episode to close out the weekend…)

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My running hair tie from last year was so stretched out it wasn’t working any longer, so I purchased a couple of these “puffer” scrunchies and they’re super cute and effective.

This half zip sweater, that I included in January’s capsule wardrobe (and will include in February’s) is and extra 20% off the sale price. I went up a size for a looser fit. Always wanted to share this white half-zip sweatshirt…. super soft inside and I will be including it in February’s capsule collection. This charcoal grey one is also a really cute option!

I bought this vase + these olive branch stems a week ago… still waiting on the olive stems, but the vase is beautiful and fits perfectly on our island (not too big and not too small).

Our outdoor concrete fire pit was just restocked. We’ve had it for 2 years and it’s by far one of our favorite home purchases ever. The propane tank is hidden inside, so you don’t have to figure out a way to cover an exposed tank. It comes in black and grey. Highly recommend if you’re in the market.

We started using these fresh + save food storage containers about 3 weeks ago, and I’m obsessed. The vacuum sucks out the air so it preserves the food for much longer than regular tupperware. Our avocado can go 4-5 days without turning brown!

ZSupply has some super cute new arrivals like these paperbag pants (look super comfy), cowl neck top, and this ruffle sleeve dress.

One of my favorite floral dresses from Free People was just restocked in several beautiful colors. When we can finally go on a date night again, I think this dress, with booties, and my favorite suede jacket would be perfect!