On Friday, we got home (to our new home) from a trip to the Asheville area of North Carolina. We planned this trip back in January or February, before we had even a thought of a new job for Nicholas, and a cross-country move, and other big life changes. And yet, the timing of the trip couldn't have been better. It was a respite away, in a stunning setting, with lots of family time and views of gorgeous scenery...

Well, hello there! We are safe and sound, staying with family in NW Indiana, donning jeans and layers in typical early spring Midwest weather. The last few weeks have been eventful, to say the least. They were filled with moving preparations, a "preview" trip to Indiana for a baby shower a few days prior to our official move, so many goodbyes, our last days at our jobs, and another wonderful baby shower.Every day felt filled to the brim with so many to-do list items, but also the weight of preparing to move to a place we have wanted to live, and also leaving the place that has been home for nearly five years...

The last few weeks have felt like a flurry of activity, in actuality with my calendar, but also mentally and emotionally. I think it's normal to feel that way in the midst of big life changes, right? As of today, it's 93 days until my due date, which makes this all seem more and more real. Here are some little tidbits of life lately: Tuesday trips to Houndstooth Coffee while he has his work meetingsewing baby blankets in two sweet prints walks with friends, even when all of us are sick apart from me! Fresh air and sunshine and conversation is excellent (free) medicine dropping Nicholas off at the airport and FaceTiming him. It brought me back to those years of long-distance dating that were so fun/hard and feel like a lifetime ago smoothie shop bathrooms with sweet reminders and bright yellow walls sorting and washing baby clothes that we've received as generous gifts baby knitting on a sweater and a pair of socks, here and there planning for baby showers and finalizing baby registry items vacuuming and cleaning out both our cars buying nightstands that are the proper height for our bed texting back and forth with my parents as they get snowfall upon snowfall trying to remember what it's like being outside in 85 degrees (that's what it was in Austin last weekend) visits to Picnik for lunch and breakfast (separate days ;) for butter coffee and conversation more walks outside in 60-something temperatures, waiting with my friend Jessica for her baby #2! For those interested, here are the latest Baby DeVries news:On Wednesday, I'll be 27 weeks! We had an OB appointment last week and baby boy is growing well and he has a healthy heartbeat...

At the beginning of 2018, I made a list of creative goals for the year. Now that it is the beginning of March, it's nice to see that I've made some progress, so to speak. That said, my January list of projects can certainly change, based on my mood or how much time I have. However, I've found that making a list allows me to take stock of what supplies I have on hand and what projects they might be well-suited to...

It's that time of the year when typically, as a born-and-raised Northerner, I'd be yearning for spring. That yearning isn't quite so pronounced here in Austin, but nonetheless, February is a month of almosts. Winter is almost over, spring is almost here, etc. And so it has been timely for me to indulge in a few self-care practices (and treats) while we're living in the almosts...