music mix 01: keep your eyes ahead

this is the first of a series of running mixes i'm going to be sharing with you. if running is not your thing, that's ok. most of the music i run to gives me a feeling of forward movement so the playlists could easily work as soundtracks for a leisurely bike ride or a weekend drive - basically any situation where you have the wind in your face and can just cruise.

because most the miles i log are done outdoors, a lot of what i like to listen to is inspired by my surroundings. i tend to compile mixes based on a specific feeling or mood i get from the current season. this particular mix expresses the transition of seasons from end of winter to early spring. it's airy and bright, with a dreamy undertone. most of the songs begin a lot like early spring mornings: soft and cool, then warm into lively beats.

i've been listening to this mix for weeks, but since the weather's been so cool this year, it still totally fits my state of mind. the first song always makes me want to take a deep breath and let out a cathartic ahhhhh - it's a great way to start off a run. 

feel free to listen + enjoy via the links below.

spotify | mix 01
01. lights out, words gone - bombay bycicle club
02. nocturene - wild nothing
03. easy - real estate
04. origins - tennis
05. burning - the whitest boy alive
06. back seat - atlas genius
07. 505 - arctic monkeys
08. shadow - wild nothing
09. sweet disposition - the temper trap
10. keep your eyes ahead - the helio sequence
11. red eyes - the war on drugs
12. green aisles - real estate
13. i will sing you songs - my morning jacket

an herb garden tutorial

how was your earth day? ours was pretty low key. we just did what we've been doing most every evening since spring finally decided to show her pretty little face: hanging out in the front yard until dinnertime. i always grab a blanket, a few toys, and we'll head outside to catch the last bit of light before the sun sets, but it never fails that august would rather crawl in the grass and play with sticks and acorn hats instead.

when he was a tiny baby and would get worked up {with being too cold or hungry or wet or tired or whatever it was that tiny babies and new parents can't figure out}, we'd take august outside and in an instant he'd be calm and at peace. he's a nature baby, we'd say as his little eyes slowly blinked and looked wondrously around.

as cheesy as it might sound, having a child has made me truly appreciate the wonders of this earth. i'm constantly searching for things that will fascinate him - anything colorful like all the spring flowers, or soft like their petals, or cool like the dirt, or wet like the grass in the morning. i get to see these simple things through new eyes, his eyes, and it's pretty amazing.

this weekend, we had a belated celebration of sorts for mother earth. there's nothing like cooking with fresh herbs, so i picked up some live plants, gathered a bunch of recycled salsa jars {we have a bit of a nacho obsession in my family}, and made an herb garden for our home. it's really not too complicated, but i thought i'd share with any do-it-yourselfers who might be reading. so here it is!  

to clean the jar, fill it with really hot water, let it sit a few minutes, then remove as much of the label as possible. {be careful when handling the jar and don’t burn yourself!} add a couple drops of oil onto a paper towel and rub at the remaining residue from the label.

 

 

thanks mother earth, you rock!

how we weekend

you know what's hidden inside those eggs, don't you? pure joy. and it came pouring out of each technicolor shell they cracked open. hope your weekend was bright and joyful too!

how we weekend

 

they came in droves for the famed blossoms and let me tell you, it was worth the wait {and the crowds}. i hope your weekend was just as beautiful. spring is in full bloom! 

how we weekend

sometimes you don't need to go far to explore new places. i present to you my back yard: the nation's capital. maybe those cherry blossoms will be in bloom next week? maybe that's how we will weekend next week? until then, have a fantastic week friends!

this is how we weekend

well, that was fun! hope you all enjoyed yours and are ready to get after this week. happy monday and helloooooo spring!

we're rooting for you, spring

nobody ever says "i'm so ready for this fall to be over". but winter? winter will have most everyone saying that in some form another. whether it's said as a hopeful, "i can't wait for spring" or a bitter, "that groundhog is full of it", by the end of the season, we're ready for longer days and kinder weather. this year in particular has been one giant eye roll. at least, it has been for those of us here on the east coast. you midwesterners and mountain-dwellers would probably yawn and crack your knuckles at how many inches we count as a lot of snow but for us, it's been a real doozy. 

you know, it's not even all the snow so much as it is living in this state of limbo, between cold and warm, lions and lambs, showers and flowers. sixty degree days, followed by record snowfalls just isn't right. then, just when i was starting to get used to seeing bare branches, these darling little pink buds had to appear on the trees. quit playing games with my heart, winter! i beg you. if not for me, then do it for this little guy, who is just itching to get outdoors and roll around in some mud.

we have this daybed set up in the baby's room that sits against a tiny window which opens up to the back yard - a bird sanctuary built by the former tenants and a selling point when we were house-hunting. the bed serves a dual purpose, acting as both resting place and changing table. since learning to crawl, this little one hasn't been the most cooperative during changes. most times, he squirms and crawls away before i can finish getting him dressed. (the window and all the birds returning from migration aren't helping the situation either.) but that little hand slapping against the window and that look on his face that asks, "can i go outside and play?" for those, i'll make more than a few exceptions.

my curly-haired sidekick and i made quick rounds of the yard to take stock of things. i'm happy to report that mother nature is right on track. we saw signs of spring all over: a curious finger met a fuzzy bud (yes, those are bare feet dangling in a blur in the background. don't judge me. it was a short outing), a feathered friend prepared her nest for new little arrivals, and plush greens dotted the roof like tropical islands in the ocean spotted from a plane. blue skies and warmer days ahead! only two more weeks if phil has anything to say about it.