Who Even Reads Blogs Anymore?

Do you guys remember when blogs were, like, the whole world? I'm talking early 2000s to maybe about 2010-2011. I'd wake each morning and eagerly open my Google Reader to see who posted what, often reading for an hour or more before I officially started my day. Slowly, life started to take over. The hours I used to read became skimming or short bursts of catching up. And in more recent years, Instagram has almost completely taken over reading. I'll scroll through pretty pictures while nursing. And my new favorite activity is watching Instastories.

I'm losing steam when it comes to blogging. There are many reasons.

• I don't feel I have as much to say as I once did. I used to take on a much more expert opinion on matters. In my ripe old age of 33, I don't necessarily feel like I have much figured out anymore. Or at least I've learned to put my foot in my mouth whenever I think I finally have figured out everything. Because, ultimately, there are many ways to do things. All things.
• I don't have as much time anymore. Practically, I have to spend time where the money is, and that's freelancing for me. I make a modest living pecking out articles on medical matters. It feels much more stable than trying to hedge my bets on blogging as my main source of income. Unless you're part of a select few, blogging money isn't what it used to be. And I'm unwilling to submit myself to the sellout gods. I've experimented with sponsored stuff in the past . . . and I'm not saying I'll never take on sponsored posts again, but it's a delicate balance. Most people don't do it well.
• People just aren't reading as much anymore. I have a good number of devoted readers, and I love you guys. But it's hard to pour energy and thought into something when it just isn't reaching many people for whatever reason. There have always been hits or misses, but lately it's more misses. 
• And I think that has to do with stage of life. When I was in my twenties, I had all the time in the world to think about my fitness, eating, and personal stuff. Everything about adulting was so fresh and new and exciting. The sorts of people who are attracted to this space seem to care mostly about my journaling. My personal thoughts versus recipes, tutorials, or anything else. We know that planning the perfect birth/wedding/fitness plan/outfit isn't always feasible. That doesn't mean we don't try . . . but we'd rather read deeply personal accounts of life so we don't feel so alone. At least that's me.
• But as I've written in the past (almost a year ago, in fact), I'm conflicted about sharing too much. Because sometimes someone random will take your photos and pretend your children are actually her children. For years. You know, weird stuff like that -- and no, I don't feel like going into detail!

I don't necessarily think I'm done blogging full stop, but I may approach it in a new way. I may go down to posting just once a week with words. Once a week with photos. Something personal. Something of quality. Something that means something . . . rather than churning water trying to get the number of posts up.

And as I typed that sentence -- not meaning to be done with you guys just yet -- my teething 11-month-old baby is waking from her fitful nap. No, I don't like to blame the children. But when you deal with early wakeups, skipped naps, and overall crank for days weeks on end . . . running to the computer to come up with content isn't really what you want to do straight away. You sort of just want to stare at the wall for a minute, take a deep breath, and keep on keeping on. Or call a friend. Or your parents. Or do 10 minutes of Barre3.

I suppose I'll return with a part II. For now, I'm going to grab that apple ice teether out of the freezer and hope to goodness it does its magic.

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New Beginnings

Summer is drawing to an end, everyone. I mean, I know the date on the calendar might disagree . . . but my Facebook feed is full of back-to-school photos, pumpkin recipes, and more. I've been slowly collecting a new wardrobe of clothes (that actually fit my body) full of leggings, long-sleeved shirts, and sweaters. Over here, we're at t-minus one week till early kindergarten starts.

I'll miss our sunny mornings on the deck:

Some of you have been confused about Ada's grade in school. I'll clear it up. Our district offers what's called "primary sequence" where there's an early kindergarten, kindergarten, transitional first, and first grade. Where you start (and go) has to do with testing + preference. Since the NY state cutoff for school is December 1st, we really wanted to give Scorpio Ada an extra year before getting on with proper kindergarten. So, she's doing a full-day early kindergarten program that has many of the same goals as regular K -- just in a different configuration (think not sitting as long at desks, getting a bit more rest time, etc.). She'll do regular K next year.

We're really excited! I'm not so thrilled that (including bus time), she'll be gone from 8-4 every single day. Yeah. That kind of bums me out, actually. I'm trying to find the positives. She'll be in a great, invigorating environment with friends. She'll learn a lot. I'll have some one-on-one time with the baby. It'll be good. Keep repeating that, Ashley.

I haven't been in the mood to write much lately. Everything is about to change. Though transitions can be good -- it's all felt a bit overwhelming. I've started some freelancing again, and despite having trouble finding the time -- writing has been great. Ada has stopped napping. She would still happily nap two hours each day, but we had to wean her for school. Stephen will soon have his hectic teaching and coaching schedule on Mondays through Saturdays. And Eloise is in a constant state of transition for the foreseeable future.

Many days, I feel like I'm not accomplishing much at all because, well, I have been nursing every 1.5 to 2 hours. Other days, I feel like I have a grasp on what needs to get done. Like, I'll get all the laundry and dishes done along with writing an article and exercising. And then by night, everything is a disaster again. I know I should be present -- living in the moment. I try. But I am a person who craves order. As much as everyone starting school will be kind of awful . . . I am craving a bit more control when it comes to my own days. When it's just me an Eloise, I think we'll manage to get into some sort of rhythm that isn't possible with two other people around.

All of this is to say that I probably won't be writing a whole lot on this blog of mine until the second week of September. I want to soak in as much time left with Ada as possible. I also just have a lot of stuff I need to get done for this transition to go smoothly. And work assignments! (Hooray for paychecks coming in again!) I have also scheduled a few Hello Fresh boxes for September to help with dinners -- we'll need it.

Best of luck with all your new beginnings. Let's meet back here soon, OK? I don't have plans to stop blogging anytime soon, but I have seen a dramatic shift in what my readers want. For example, I started as a recipe blog. Though I don't post tons of recipes, the ones I do post get like very little attention. I want to know what you guys are interested in reading so it doesn't turn into a blog of my boring ramblings.

What are you most interested in reading about? Family stuff? Food stuff? Exercise stuff? My boring ramblings? Leave me a note in the comments!

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A Body In Motion

I haven't weighed myself since, well, I don't know when. It's not that I'm terribly concerned with a specific number on the scale, however -- when I notice my favorite clothes (and many of the rest) don't fit well anymore, I like to know what the damage is. So, I went out and purchased a fresh battery, popped it in my scale, and weighed myself last night.

I wasn't shocked.
I wasn't terribly disappointed or frantic.
I was, instead, informed.

I am a solid 7 pounds up since the last I knew my weight over six (?) months ago. This winter has been tough, there's no denying it, and despite getting in a good number of outdoor runs, I haven't been as active as I'd like. What this new number shows me is that a body out of regular, daily motion tends to hibernate and eat lots of carb-and-sugar heavy foods to stay warm when the temperatures dip well below zero.

(And this is just what's hanging around. We're getting another 6-10 inches today!)

OK. Let's make that whole last statement less passive, I take full responsibility.

What now? I hesitate to write/blog about weight loss, since it's a somewhat touchy subject to put out there in black and white. It's also something I don't have a lot of experience with, since my activity used to completely wash away my bad eating habits. Turning 30 has definitely impacted my metabolism, but -- more -- my habits are drastically different than they were even three years ago.

See what I mean?

• Working from home means less walking around. I used to walk during lunch breaks or at very minimum during breaks. I also had to walk 1/4 to 1/2 mile to/from my car each day -- all on top of my regular running schedule. Several miles of walking each day that I no longer do.
• Whereas I used to pack semi-healthy lunches and even breakfasts, I now have my entire refrigerator and pantry shelves at my disposal all day long. I can whip up anything my imagination can dream up at a moment's notice.
• We quit our gym, which means I haven't had access to weights and classes I might regularly tack onto my running routine. Having a structured environment for this sort of stuff makes it easier to stick with, along with the guilt of spending the money and not going. I still get regularly cross-training via our spinning bike, but I've become lazy with regard to my push-ups, etc.
• My priorities have shifted along with my new role as a mom (it isn't inevitable -- there are plenty of awesome #motherruners, but I've allowed in for the sake of better balance). My training is still important, but definitely isn't foremost in my mind anymore. If life takes over, I skip my workouts much more willingly than I did in the past. 
• I also used to have way more time to think about myself -- my appearance, my body, my running, etc. -- I simply don't spend the same amount of mental hours thinking about, well, me anymore. I think this is a good thing, but I can also see how I need to invest more in myself versus always in others.

So, being completely honest with myself, I can see why I might weigh more now versus then. And I do have some motivation/reason to trim down a bit, as I look in the next six months or so to get pregnant again. I'd like to be at my fighting weight, which I think sounds a bit incredibly ridiculous and, well, possibly vain -- but I'd argue what woman doesn't feel this way, at least on some level?

And instead of going crazy working out (too much), etc, during pregnancy -- I'd rather take a preemptive attack now and nurture myself when the time comes.


First thing is first (image source): I won't be going on a diet. But there are certainly some obvious areas of my eating and exercise that I can easily swap or modify that I think might help. Here are some ways I'm hoping to change my habits that don't involve calorie counting or traditional diet methods.

// MOVE MORE

Not just running, but taking walks or finding excuses to move my body beyond training. I'd like to make a goal to even just move 30 minutes to an hour more a day than I do now. I started a couple days ago with a moderate pace spinning bike "ride" while Ada ate her breakfast. The weather is still pretty cold and snowy to be dragging Ada out for walks, but I know it will warm soon.

// DRINK LESS

It's not just my nightly beer that might be keeping me more on the bloated side. I have landslided into caloric beverage territory this winter. Hot chocolate, countless homemade chai lattes, "natural" sodas (I love me some Ginger Brew!), fresh juices, and -- yes -- beer. I'd like to reserve these drinks for weekends or special occasions, not indulge every single day or, in some cases, multiple times a day. Obviously, I would like to drink more water and I absolutely love sparkling water, so hopefully that will quell my fizz craving. (Have you guys tried Poland Spring's Raspberry-Lime? Yum.)

// CHALLENGE MY BODY

A lot of slow miles dragging along in the snow? It shows dedication, that's for sure. I'm doing well with my running and I'm sticking to my plan. Thankfully, my half marathon workouts are kicking up a notch this week with more speed and hill work, and my body is feeling it! I need to do more fartleks, speed sessions and things that challenge versus maintain my fitness levels. Along with running, I need to really incorporate my upper-body and strength training. We bought a 30-pound kettlebell, so I'd like to do a workout maybe twice or 3x/week -- that should do the trick. 

// ADD MORE VEGGIES

I like to approach eating with what I can add versus take away. I do eat a lot of vegetables and fruits now, but not enough, admittedly. I'd like my veggies to take up half my plate, not a quarter or third. And I think protein is another focus area. We've been eating a lot of veggie-topped pizzas, which definitely feature a lot of bread and cheese. So, meal planning will definitely be at play here. I think the slow cooker will also be helpful. Eating more protein for breakfast should start the day off right, too.

// SKIP DESSERT (ON OCCASION)

Along with drinking lots of calories, I've also got into the habit of eating dessert(s x 1,000) every single day. I recently wrote an article about the health benefits of chocolate (it's not out yet, but it's a good one -- and I'll share ASAP!). But most of the benefits can be taken in with a couple small squares of dark chocolate, not an entire batch of cookies or pan of brownies. As with drinks, I'd like to save full-on desserts for special occasions and weekends and the rest of the time snack on a couple pieces of dark chocolate.

// WEAR REAL CLOTHES

Yes. An undeniable luxury of working from home is that I can wear yoga pants or leggings every single day if I want to. While it's been super comfortable and great, it's also not working out so well for me. How my clothes fit is how I usually monitor my "weight" or -- rather -- my habits. I need to bust out the real pants on most days, not only to take pride in my appearance, but also so I don't become scale-dependent.

// WRITE IT DOWN

I'm putting out my intentions not for judgement or review, but -- selfishly -- because I think it will help me stick to my plan. I also think writing about it from time to time in a personal journal (and even a bit on here) will give me that mental space to think about myself and my goals.

After all, this isn't so much about losing 7 pounds as it is waking up and seeing that a lot of my habits have just changed and could be better. I'll excited to see what these seemingly easy changes/swaps do. Again, I don't care so much about the actual number on the scale, but I'd like to fit back into my pants because I know it's not all new muscle down there!

I feel good putting this all out there.

Thanks for reading + stay tuned!

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Diet Thoughts + Basil Hummus

The process of eating well can be transformative. After all, we're continually told "you are what you eat." But what they don't tell you? It isn't the sole catalyst for lasting change. In the past, I thought modifying my diet would change my life. That eating clean meant not only a clean body, but also a happy mind and satisfied soul.

As I have found out through much trial + error, that's only half true . . . at best.

Still, I think a lot of us use our diets as our adult report cards. There aren't too many other ways to grade how our lives are going, how we're dealing with physical and emotional contentment or, in turn, turmoil. Diets are (somewhat) easy to change, track, and control, too. They allow us focus on something external -- food + drink -- to lay blame outside our inner selves. To celebrate successes or, ultimately, punish failures.

Unless there's a large amount of weight to lose or some other quantifiable, measurable goal, the changes a diet provides can range from significant to imperceptible. And that's where the focus on food fails to deliver. Even if we "eat like adults," we can remain in a funk. Unfulfilled in so many ways.

What's even more perplexing is how we can be privy to all of what I just wrote and still choose to harp on diet every time our lives get out of control or we desire big change. I'm writing to myself here, can you tell? Understandably, it's a kick-start. After, that's when the "lifestyle" component factors in, which I'll get into another time. What the term encompasses, though, we typically interpret to mean exercise only. There are still multiple pieces of the pie missing.

Enough food for thought.
Now time for some actual food.


BASIL HUMMUS

What you'll need . . .

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

//  Place all ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth. Add more/less water depending on how you like the texture of your hummus to be. Then use as a dip or spread. I topped toast with it and added slices of heirloom tomatoes that looked quite a bit like lox, no?


Slice!


Have you been frustrated when a diet hasn't provided the change you needed?
Or perhaps quite the opposite?

Still, I believe taking the time to cook gives the mind more room to think. A critical slowing down that we're often taught to overlook (I skipped enough lunches while working my desk jobs, for example). And keeping recipes simple and full of nutrient-dense whole foods can help lead us in the right direction, wherever that may be.

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Transitions + Constants

I told you I was going to start writing more about what's going on with me in the present. I'll get back to recipes and workouts soon. But here's some of what I promised. A look inside my head.

Whenever I take a look around and feel like my world is falling apart, there's usually some transition to blame. It happened when I left home to go to college. That August, I refused to return my parents' messages on my dorm room answering machine.

I was transitioning into a more independent young adult, and I was a bratty, emotional wreck.

Years later, I broke up with my first long-time boyfriend. Or, rather, he broke up with me in what I now refer to as the infamous "Summer of Darkness". Honestly, the trauma of it all caused a type of selective memory. That's right: I can't even remember much of that summer. Read: Things I fell apart. I got depressed and would fall asleep around 7 PM each day. I'd cry and think exceedingly negative thoughts. How could life go on?

A while later, I graduated from college and was immediately thrust into the working world.


That transition was particularly tumultuous because getting a job was is HARD. And that was before the real problems with the economy. I applied to over 70 positions -- desk, retail, dining, etc. alike -- and tried desperately to stay in the college town I loved while using my degree in Writing. Didn't work out, so I moved back to my hometown and was subsequently sucked into an temporary void.


After 8 months of long-distance dating (yup -- another transitional time), Stephen and I moved in together a year before getting married when I finally landed a job in Ithaca. I'd always imagined living with the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with would be bliss. Instead, we learned a lot more about one another in that year . . . and there were many, many ups and downs, spats and tears.

I could list more (life is nothing but a state of constant change, right?), but I'll skip ahead: Having a baby, now toddler, and leaving a full-time desk job to stay home.


This time around, I am not sad or angry. These situations are things I chose for myself, for my family. And there has been much more joy and good. Still, I am finding my way, my role, my place in all of it. It's entailed struggle. The stuff you've been reading about for the past year.

Add to that helping Ada through her multiple transitions as well. It gets difficult. Every day something is new or different. Challenging.

I suppose I imagined that getting older would magically make these transitions easier. That the experience I've gained with the many changes in my life would help me land gently into the new instead of crashing down into the thick of it. I learned over the past year that -- though I am certainly wiser -- transitions and their enormity change over time. Yes, I may know better ways to deal with and understand them, but the nature of the beast is the same.

Which gets me to something positive and productive: Constants. There were times throughout all of these events and situations when I had people or places or things pull me up, help me out, and put things into perspective.

What do I mean? Basic stuff. Things like diet and exercise and writing are constants for me.


Constants are the types of things I have relative control over, things that have the ability to lift my spirits and heal me whether physically or emotionally. Of course, this control can be taken too far, but for the purpose of this conversation, I mean things we choose to have in our lives for good, that are always there, and that we feel our happiest and healthiest by doing habitually.

For me, eating well and moving my body has helped me in many ways process my new roles. Writing has helped me express my feelings related to it all. It isn't always easy, but I have promised myself that continuing to keep these things in my life, I can find solace in the occasional frequent insanity.

When I have a bad day, I can definitely get overwhelmed and negative . . . hell, I have entire weeks like that, even. But if I can continue to hold onto the good in my life, the things that make me feel my best and bring out the best in me, I can usually see things differently. I can continue healthy habits, and I can even hold onto ME in the process.

Yeah. The people I meet, the situations in my life, and the other external influences are all things I cannot control. And yet that brings to mind another big constant: ME. Who I am. Though I'm always changing (I mean LOOK at me a few years ago!), I am always here for me. I just need to take the time to recognize it.


Looking back on all of these crazy times in my life, I can't help but see the good in all of it. Really, seeing the good is something I'm trying to do more and more each day -- a lesson I've learned through much practice, I'll tell you. The power of positivity should never be diminished.

There was a lot of heartache and difficulty, but I am a much stronger person. I can see a wider range of what people around me go through, what they feel. I know that the same will hold true for my most recent transitions and those many more that will inevitably come in time.

Oh, and that breakup with my crappy boyfriend was seriously one of the best things that ever happened to me.

What are some constants in your life? Those things that have helped you through transitions? (I can get carried away in my longer writing. I may not be using terminology perfectly in this instance, but "constant" is what seems to best express what I mean in this moment.)

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Thoughts & Giveaway(s)

I re-read my posts over again from time to time. Lately, what I've come to realize is, well, a lot. So much of this past year has been forced. About getting back into my old shape. Getting back to the things I was doing pre-baby. Chasing the shadow of my former self.

The DSLR-toting marathon runner with (too much) time to do cool stuff. OK. "Cool" might be stretching it. I just feel like I don't identify with the person who could drive 5 hours, go run a PR half marathon in the ADK mountains, then go out beer-tasting at breweries for the rest of the day.

And yet that girl is me. No time to do something mundane as stop and dry my hair even!

Now I feel like I do few things that could be considered interesting beyond our little family of three. Adjustment is hard, but I haven't really minded the change. Catching up on episodes of Homeland while we eat takeout pizza and watch Ada throw blocks across the room is great, too. It just feels so different!

On an intellectual level, this frustrating pursuit of my former life makes little sense to me. Things are different now. I know they are, and I'm actually fine happy. Yes -- it sounds like I'm forcing it -- but I can confidently say that at this stage in my life, I am happy!

In practice, though, I don't feel as great. I feel . . . confused. Stretched thin. Directionless. I suppose I grazed the topic a bit during my New Leaf project. I feel off. There are so many things that have changed in a single year that I think it is completely normal to be a bit lacking in my enthusiasm for all of it happening at once.

Anyway: New Leaf. I have slipped a bit off the track. I knew it'd take more than a couple weeks of change to get at what I really need.

The (abridged) truth is . . .

• I'm 29 . . . so this is a big year for me before I enter the 30s. I don't know how, but I've been conditioned to think this way. Self-fulfilling prophecy. 
• I'm a mom now and no amount of trying will get things the way they used to be -- mind or body -- nor do I want them that way when I actually stop to think about it.
• I'm struggling with my weight and fitness. Whereas I used to write up tips and tricks for you all, I'm the one who needs the help now.
• I work at home now. And some of what is "home" is my job, too. It's changed my identity and level of social interaction in ways I'd like to address.

There are many more things I could go and list. But this post isn't intended to be a TMI look into my confused mind. I don't even know if I want to delve into the long version myself! I wanted to write this today to be honest. To explain what this means for the blog. Because in all of this, blogging has certainly suffered.


I want to shift this blog back to something I feel happy about versus trying to be something I'm not anymore. A place where I feel motivated again instead of lacking.

I think I am going to start writing more about those truths I listed above. Make it more personal versus straight-up recipes and Pinterest-y tips for getting in good treadmill workouts. (Sure, there still be tons of food, too.) However, I think a big focus will be  my journey toward finding who I am NOW.

Along with some posts about getting back into shape. I am not having an easy go of it. I need to spend less time trying to write up ways to get motivated to run and actually go running. (Which I'm off to do soon now that our treadmill is fixed!)

GIVEAWAY

I have more to write about this, but I won't make this too long today. A while ago, a bunch of your filled out a survey about the blog. I never did anything to thank you for your thoughts. Now onto the fun part! The GIVEAWAYS!

Here's what's up for grabs.

1. A yarn ornament -- handmade by me!
2. A wreath -- handmade by me!
3. A batch of Christmas treats (TBD) -- again, made by me!

How to enter? It's less formal than our other giveaways. Simply leave a comment below with the word HAPPY and some way to contact you (whether it be a blog address, email, etc.). I'll be choosing three winners at random on Friday, November 30 via some type of online number generator -- since the old one I used is gone.

Pssst: If you're keeping up with Ada, I posted her 12-month update today -- complete with walking video! -- on Writing Chapter Three.

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Pumpkin Dinner Rolls and Change

You may have noticed that the Banumpkin Bread recipe only calls for a 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree. What did we do with the rest of it? What we usually do, of course: We made bread! Dinner rolls, actually.

Are you getting sick of pumpkin yet? Well, you shouldn't. Not only is the orange stuff a popular fall ingredient. It's also packed with vitamin A, antioxidant carotenoids (like alpha and beta-carotenes), vitamins C, K, and E, and lots of minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and iron. (Source)

You can use pumpkin as a healthy substitute for oil and butter in recipes (like we did with the Banumpkin Bread). In this recipe, we used it to replace almond milk. (You'll see which recipe we switched up below.) Basically: Most anything wet in your recipes -- for cooking AND baking -- can be swapped with pumpkin puree. I haven't had any kitchen catastrophes (yet) using this philosophy.

And if you'd like to make your own puree, just follow these instructions!


PUMPKIN DINNER ROLLS

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup white bread flour
• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (wrist-temperature)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 to 3 tablespoons soy milk

Method . . .

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yeast and 1/4 cup of warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes (until frothy).
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the white bread flour and 1-1/2 cups of the whole wheat, and the salt.
3. In your yeast mixture, whisk in the maple syrup and pumpkin puree. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix using the paddle attachment. If the dough seems a bit too dry, add in -- 1 tablespoon at a time -- the soy (or almond/regular/etc.) milk. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
4. Then, drip a bit of olive oil into the bowl (hardly any -- just enough for a light, light coat, use a spray oil if you have one) and cover with some plastic wrap and let puff in a warm place for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
6. When the dough is puffed, divide dough into 8 balls and flatten with the palm of your hand a bit.
7. Place the rounds onto the baking sheet. They don't need much room to puff.
8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Until the rolls are golden brown.

Do these rolls look familiar? They should.

See it now?


This recipe is a creative spin on the quick-to-rise Wasabi Dinner Rolls we posted last week. It was as easy as taking out the wasabi powder and replacing the milk with -- that's right! -- pumpkin puree.

So, you may be getting sick of pumpkin. But I'm not. I want to stretch fall out for as long as possible.

Two years ago today, I cut off all my hair. It was super-duper short. And I hated it!


Stephen found some fossils on a hike . . .



And it was much prettier than it is today (most of the leaves are already fading/gone . . . and it's raining!)


Back to the hair thing: Whenever the seasons change, I always feel this need to change something about myself or my surroundings. Usually it's my hair. Sometimes I feel like I want need to change my entire wardrobe. Until we bought our house, I had often changed apartments in the fall, too.

It can all be rather exhausting and irritating, the urges I have. In fact, right now I'm trying my best to keep myself away from scissors. Ahh! I think I may dye my hair to calm myself instead. Though, I think this year's itch was scratched by overhauling our first floor layout. I hope, at least!

Do the seasons have a weird effect on you? Though I know many of you live in warmer climates, I'm thinking you notice a difference in the weather a bit, too, right? I've love to know if I'm not the only one. :) Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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