Is it Spring yet where you live?  I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we’ve had a few glimpses!  I’m afraid to say this out loud, for fear that the sun and warmer temps will hear me and run and hide for a few more months.  BUT, it was 60 degrees this past Sunday, and today I saw some buds on a tree!  Maybe our bleak midwinter is coming to a close?

March and April are my least favorite months, generally.  Spring is all not quite here but feels like it should be.  Anyway, I’m finding some ways to stay cozy and embrace where I’m at!  Here’s what I’m up to lately–cozy edition.

To Read

Nothing better than curling up with a book when it’s too.darn.cold to go outside, amiright?  I’m generally reading several different books, but here are a few highlights.

Do Less (Kate Northrup)

A blogging mentor recommended this book, so I gave it a whirl.  It did well as an audiobook on my (cold and dark) drives to the gym in the morning or whilst puttering around the house.  I am just scratching the surface of this whole, work with your cycle sort of thing (and that would be your menstrual cycle), and I’m sort of geeking out about it.  Ladies, ever notice that there are times in the month when you are super creative?  Or more extroverted?  Or, please just let me curl up in my bed and sleep?  Or super analytical?  Turns out those times are more or less tied to our cycles, and now that I’m tracking it, I am seeing this big time!  (And now everybody that gets invited over for a dinner party will wonder if I’m ovulating.  Yes, probably.)  But, I’m trying to batch some of my work into periods where I will naturally want to do these things.  For a girl who generally turns off her emotions to get.the.thing.done, this feels nice!  It feels like less strain, and more fun, and actually more productive without really trying.  Cool!  Stay tuned…I’m sure I’ll have more to say about this soon.

Sidenote: this book is definitely not written from a Christian worldview, and there are plenty of things about the whole #selfcare movement that I have a big problem with, but I was able to read through this to take away some really valuable concepts and ideas to implement.

Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan)

This is a Christian classic that somehow I have never read (okay, besides the children’s version that I read when I was probably seven that has a picture on every other page)!  It’s been around for almost 350 years and has never been out of print!  My doctrine study group at church is reading this, and I am enjoying it!  It has not been nearly as hard to get through from a syntax standpoint as I thought it would be (although, I do believe the version I am reading has an updated text).  In turn, I bought this children’s version for my kids, and they just loved it!  I thought they might get bored because the writing is a bit antiquated and there are plenty of big words, but the pictures are big and detailed, and who doesn’t like giants and fighting with swords?  They just kept asking me to read more!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J. K. Rowling)

You guys!  I have been reading this series for far too long.  I am finishing it this year!  This is #6 (of 7) in the series.  I even started rewatching the movies so I could remember what all has happened.  Fun times.  Nice, easy bedtime reading.  Does anybody else fall RIGHT TO SLEEP if they read for a few minutes?  I’ve never tried a sleeping pill, but I think books work just as well or better!  As much as I might like just once or twice to stay up way too late reading a book in bed, it’ll never happen.  I fall right to sleep after only a few pages!  Hence, this book is taking me longer than planned to get through, even thought I’m sincerely enjoying it.

To Watch

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

I am honestly not sure about this one yet or if I’ll keep going (I’m just a few episodes into season 1).  I don’t really like for-no-reason F-Bombs.  However, a few people have told me that the older version of me is Rose, Midge’s mom, so naturally, I’m curious to see if I think that’s true.  So far, I can only sort of see it.

Molly’s Game

You guys, this movie was so good!  Based on a true story of a woman who ran a poker game for years and years with a bunch of celebrities in LA (and then also in New York).  She accidentally gets in with the Russian mob and eventually arrested by the FBI.  (I’m not giving anything away by telling you all this.)  Seeing how she does all of this is fascinating.  I thought about this movie for days.  Also, it was really clean which was also nice.  The hubs liked this movie a lot, too.

Ford vs. Ferrari

This was one of those “okay, I will watch this movie with you only because you really want to see it, Hubs” sort of movies, and then I really liked it.  I like dramas primarily, and this one was!  I didn’t know a car movie could also be a drama.  Plus, Matt Damon and Christian Bale?  So fun!  Surprised that I liked this one!

Be Crunchy

I’ve been trying to figure out some tricky symptoms lately.  I think symptoms are really good signs.  You want your body talking to you.  When something is off, you want it to tell you!  (I do think if you ignore symptoms long enough, they kind of go away until they turn into something big…just my personal little theory because I’ve seen it enough times to be convinced.)  Anyway, breakouts, significant hair loss, and an irregular cycle have me scratching my head.  Generally, these things are usually thyroid related for me, but they seem to be more just woman hormone related this time.  So, I’m trying a few things.

Myoinositol

When I mentioned these symptoms to my doctor, she recommended that I try this supplement.  It is vitamin B8, generally prescribed to women with PCOS.  I noticed a significant improvement in just days!  Great sleep, skin clearing up a bit, moodiness clearing away literally overnight.  Kind of remarkable.  And it doesn’t even taste bad!  (All my supplements are just terrible.  What a delight to find one that doesn’t make me gag!)  I will continue with this for a while, as I think it is totally helping.

Acupuncture

I did acupuncture when I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 25, and I saw remarkable improvements in my entire endocrine system with that.  Acupuncture doesn’t treat the thyroid specifically.  It treats the whole endocrine system to get to the thyroid.  One night last week I went to bed so concerned about my symptoms and woke up with a clear head and thought, “I need to give that a try again!”  So, I found a highly recommended acupuncturist, and I will see him soon.  Stay tuned!

To Cook

I found that I have been in a bit of a cooking/baking rut lately!  Weird!  I think all my creative energies are just going into different outlets right now.  Namely, a musical, and all my arts ‘n crafty hobbies these days.  So, I busted out some cookbooks for new inspiration.  It has totally worked to get me through my slump!  Sometimes I really like to go free form and create something from nothing with no recipe, just some ingredients.  Other times, I want the guidance and beautiful pictures of a cookbooks.  Here are a few I’m loving lately…

• Half-Baked Harvest Cookbook
• Eat What You Love (Danielle Walker)
• Tasty Ultimate
• The Clean Plate (Gwyneth Paltrow)

Also, this in-oven meat thermometer!  What a game changer?!?!  I really do not like overcooked meat. We like medium-rare around here, but inevitably I forget about whatever’s in the oven, or just wait too long to pull it out and check it.  Now, I just insert this thing into the center of my cut of meat, set it to the desired temperature, and it beeps when it’s done!  SO SIMPLE!  (And did I mention that it’s a whopping $8?!?!) This was a game changer for our Christmas Eve dinner this year–the most perfect prime rib I’ve ever made!  My dad’s groan of delight at the table just made me so happy!

To Be Active

There is really not much to report here!  I’m not racing currently, and I’m not playing any sports (my soccer team retired!  So sad!).  Really, all my leisure, out-of-the-house time has been spent doing music things, which is totally fine!  My workout routine is generally three days per week of strength training, two to three days of cardio (Insanity Max30 or track workouts, generally, with a swim here and there), and one day of yoga.  It’s working well for the time being.  However, I’ve got much more exciting plans for the Spring.  Stay tuned!

Style & Beauty

Beauty Counter Products

I don’t love everything by Beauty Counter (although I love #betterbeauty and non-toxic products!), but there are a few things that I do really love.  Namely, this Rosewater Mist that I spray on my face to wake up a bit before a morning workout or for a little mid-afternoon pick-me-up.  This charcoal face mask that I use during my Sunday night bath with magnesium bath flakes (another great way to get through winter), and this eye color palette that basically has all my favorite smoky eye neutral colors.  (I even used these colors for my stage makeup for my show.)

Ugg Boots

I gave in.  I may have said that I would never own these.  I now own these.  I got them on super sale after Christmas, and my feet just feel like they are being hugged when I wear them.  Yes, like Ugg Hugs.  Plus, they slip on so easily, which is what I love about sandals in the summer when I’m running out the door with my kids.  So, these are the winter version of Birkenstocks?  Basically.  Anyway, I am warm, and I think they’re even a little bit cute.

Hobbies

Do a Musical

It has been 15 years since my last musical.  FIFTEEN?!  I know I’ve mentioned it before (in my last Stuff I Like post), but I seriously forgot how much I loved theatre.  It’s been VERY fun to have something like this to do in the winter time.  We just wrapped up our show during the last week of February, and to say that I had the time of my life might have been an understatement.

Knit

I made my favorite hat yet in January.  Look at my cute little model!  These little faux fur pom poms are just the perfect touch, too.  I loved it so much, I ordered the same yarn in black to make a matching one for myself.  This chunky wool knits up quickly which is nice for my beginner knitting self, knowing that I’ll get a finished product in just a couple weekends.

Finally Finish my Lettering Course

I’ve been working on this lettering course on and off for two years now!  I’ve learned so much with the first few modules, that I’m even more determined to get it done.  I’d really like to learn some drawing and lettering on my iPad this year as well as some watercoloring, but I am making myself finally finish this course first.

I will celebrate with a new chalkboard design in my kitchen (which also has been hanging there for two whole years without an update) as well as making a hand lettered mug (I had another one that I made and loved, but it broke, sadly.)

Aren’t these just such fun winter hobbies?!?!  I’m feeling cozy just writing about them.

Have Parties

The best thing about Michigan?  Its people.  Period.  These are some really good people, and we really love them.  We’ve decided that the best way to make it through Michigan is just to have people over for a cozy party at our house.  A friend of mine hosted a Galentine’s Day brunch at her house, and it reminded me that this is exactly how you make it.  You stick together.  You laugh.  You drink good drinks and eat good food.  You hardly even notice how dark and gloomy it is when you’re doing that.

Well, would you look at that!  So much to love about the bleak mid-winter after all.  Tell me what you’re loving as we move toward Spring!!

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