•5 min read
Our first family camping trip
In mid-September, we went on our very first overnight camping trip at a campground! I wrote this post back in July about our little backyard campout, which was a soft introduction to camping with our little boys. Come September and slightly cooler...
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Life lately, late July 2023
Looking back at my recent posts, I realized it has been a long time since I wrote a little post about "life lately." I've written about things in our life, yes, like Cooper turning four, a visit to our friends in Bloomington, a visit from my family,...
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Life lately, early May 2023
It's been awhile since a "life lately" post where I write about all the little bits and pieces of our life. This spring has been a rather cold one, but just this past weekend, we are seeing much warmer temperatures and the weather seems to be...
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Winter adventuring
Starting sometime in the fall, I made a point to be a bit more creative and find new to us trails to hike on and explore. Since then, we have found several new favorites for when we are in the mood for a hike, regardless of the season.
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2022: A year in review
Welcome to my annual post of our life in the last year – a review of all the big and little events, travels, habits, heartbreaks, and joys. These posts require a lot of time and energy, in part due to sifting through all the posts I wrote in the...
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2021: A year in review
Every January, I assemble a blog post of sorts that catalogs our year. Largely organized in list-form, I touch on the big and little things, events and thoughts and experiences that shaped our life over the last year. I do find this incredibly...
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The worth of each day: Life lately, November 2021
Fall feels like a number of transitions, one right after the other. We are now bridging into late fall, with lots of frost in the mornings, first sightings of bare trees, and darker, cozier evenings at home. Of course, there is talk of Thanksgiving...
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Turning over autumn & Turning thirty-one
We've taken to a regular "cozy hike," as we've termed it. A nearly wooded path, my favorite spot for fall color, a wagon, an eager toddler, a cozy blanket, and snacks. I look for the bright red leaves, since those are a favorite for both of us. And...
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What brings me to worship: Life lately, mid-May 2021
There's a lot of heaviness in the world right now.
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2020: A year in review
Now that we're well into January, I'm sitting down to write and glance back at the last year. I'm not much of a resolution-maker (not fundamentally opposed, just not for me), but I do find it's healthiest for my heart and mind to reflect and then...
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At the lake & on the deck : Summer edition
I'm typically in a rush to wish away the hot days of summer, to exchange them for cozy days, sweater season, cool mornings. I'm an optimist, and that optimism frequently couples itself with being future minded. Constantly looking forward with hope,...
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Life Lately, mid-June 2020
After an extended break from writing, it feels more natural to ease back into it with a list-based post. I've missed writing! And for the time being, as always, I feel most qualified to write about what I know about, and that's our little life....
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2019: A year in review
Every year, I find it a bit therapeutic to look back on the last year. I know my heart is bent toward nostalgia, and at times, I wonder if that is one of the reasons I find looking back easier than looking forward. That's something for me to mull...
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Our Christmas 2019
This year, Christmas was simple and lovely. It can feel natural to rush past it, once December 25th has come and gone. But I want to linger a little, take note of some of my favorite tiny moments. 2020 will have it's own center stage for a full...
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Lately, I love (December 2019 edition)
Some of the smaller moments in this season are the ones I adore the most. Beside the Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, etc., there are so many sweet moments, tucked in, nearly missed unless I make a point to see them. Here are a few highlights from...
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A fall visit to Minnesota
Last weekend, we drove north to Minnesota to visit my family for a long weekend. It was our first long car ride with Cooper, which had its ups and downs, so to speak, but I'm so glad we were able to visit.
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Ushering in fall + life lately
The last couple of weeks have been a flurry of activity, with visitors and 3-month appointments for Cooper and Costco trips and fun activities nestled in between. I've been itching to write here, but haven't had a moment until now. I'm writing with...
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Little baby in a big city
Last weekend, a friend of ours from Texas was visiting Chicago, and we drove to the city on Sunday to spend time with him. Trips out and about are feeling less daunting, the older Cooper gets. And this past Sunday was no different. We had a...
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Late July life
It's full-blown summer here, evidenced by the forecast. We've had some very hot days, along with more mild days (my personal favorite), like today. Each week seems to bring a bit more routine and familiarity. And by that, I mean Cooper is constantly...
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Moving into a new home
Well, hello!
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Celebrating baby DeVries in Minnesota
This past weekend, Nicholas and I took a whirlwind trip to my hometown in Minnesota to see family and have my third and final baby shower. Friday, I drove to pick up Nicholas from his workplace downtown Chicago, and then we hopped on the road...
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Extra time, extra joy
Life has been a swirl of joyful visitors for us! It's been wonderful, and all our visitors are the best kind—low-key and they make your heart glad. All that said, having people in town does upset our routine a bit (routines can do with a bit of...
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2018: A year in review
Every January, when many are looking forward to the next year, I like to take a few moments to look back. I dig into what the previous year meant for me personally and what it meant for me and Nicholas in the context our our family and community....
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An early Christmas in Indiana
Merry Christmas Eve, friends!
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Slow advent-ing
We're in the midst of some preparation for a trip up north to visit Nicholas' family, but I wanted to stop by and talk about life lately. I've settled fully into pre-Christmas rest. This past week was filled with the last-minute busyness of mailing...
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