Meet Miss Jones

Love this Vintage Radio Lamp from Yellowsquarelove’s shop

Well. This is slightly embarrassing.

When I took my “spring break” from the blog, I certainly didn’t expect it to be a solid two months of not posting. But that’s exactly what happened–well, more specifically, life happened. We spent two incredible weeks in the UK (more on that later), I got promoted (I’m now the Interactive Director! Fancy, no?), we moved…none of those things are completely insane, but everything seemed to happen all at once.

The past few weeks, I’ve felt incredibly disconnected from my life. I was trying to explain it to my best friend the other day, and really couldn’t. I just wasn’t able to put my finger on it–all I knew is that my life hadn’t felt like “my life.” I think a good bit of it was the combination of moving to a new apartment (which we love–more on that one later as well) and my position at work shifting into high gear. Those are two pretty big changes by themselves, but in the midst of it all, I’d also neglected to take time for myself: to read, to pray, to relax the way I know I need to. When life is busy, it’s easy to put things that feel like “extras” on the back burner, but those extras are really what give life its flavor.

I feel like I’m coming ’round though, thankfully. I decided yesterday that this week will be a week of discipline. No more not cooking, not blogging, not knitting, just because I feel tired or feel busy. I’m going to do the things that I know I want to do, even if I don’t feel like doing them at first. Because it’s true: I never regret going running when I force myself to do it. I’m always glad when I cook a meal at home, even when initially I just want to go pick up a salad.

The same thing goes for this blog: I need to write even when I don’t think I have anything worth saying. This blog is about my life, whether it includes food, design, travel, whatever. I love those things (and so much more), but I need to stop feeling intimidated because I don’t live the life I read about on other blogs, or have cute children/a farm in the country/incredible DIY skills. On the other hand, I love reading those blogs, and I want to continue to be inspired by the lives I see and read about all around me. This blog, though? It’s just me. Just my life. I hope you’ll enjoy sharing it, and I hope it will encourage me to live a life worth writing about.

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I’m taking a belated “Spring Break” of sorts (if only I were as relaxed as the girls above). Between lots of crazy projects at work, freelance clients, and travelling (to the UK/Wales!), things are getting pretty intense.

I’ll be back before you know it (and before it gets too close to summer). So go outside, enjoy the lovely weather, and take a little spring break of your own!

1 :: The clean lines and upbeat pattern of the Bright Concerto Dress from ModCloth make it a great pick to take you from spring in to summer.

2 :: My favorite granola bars are always ones that include dried cherries! I’m dying to make these Cherry Almond Granola Bars from Honey and Jam as my next snack.

3 :: Japanese washi masking tape has been all over the blog world for quite some time now, and I really want to add some to my craft/gift wrapping module. Pretty Tape has some really fun combos in their Etsy store.

4 :: As I’ve been culling through a lot of my belongings thanks to this book, I’m realizing that I’d like to use more interesting containers to store the few useful everyday things that I use. This deco style planter from AMradio would be great for holding paper clips and other small office items.

5 :: Use the lovely weather to go outside and pen a note to one of your favorite people. These free downloads from TocoToco mag would be swell to receive in the mail! (via Creature Comforts).

6 :: I’m a big fan of Jordan Gray’s design for Hidden Pictures’ new album Synchronized Sleeping. The combination of clean, mid-century style illustration with just a little bit of texture and warmth really makes it pop! Plus, that typewriter is darling.

[ps] I just wanted to make note that I don’t actually purchase all the items I post here! Though I do occasionally splurge on some of my favorite “faves,” these posts are a way for me to enjoy and appreciate new things without actually spending any money. It’s like internet window-shopping, plus I get to share it with all of you!

In case you were wondering why the blog was silent last week, it’s because I spent Monday – Wednesday getting everything in order for Thursday – Saturday, during which I was in Minneapolis, MN at the Children Desiring God Conference. I volunteer in the nursery at our church, and have been involved in children’s ministry in a number of ways in the past. This was a great opportunity to learn from those who have taught and led in many capacities in all different kinds of environments. The conference was packed with lots of resources, training, and some truly incredible speakers–I’m so glad I was able to go!

It was a busy weekend, although we did fit in a quick trip to the Mall of America while we were up there. The place is seriously huge, and a little overwhelming. We also saw snow (as evidenced in the photo above), which was fun. Not that it’s been that long since I’ve seen snow, but it has been quite a while since I’ve seen it in March.

All in all, a great week with great people, and now it’s time to settle back in and pick up on the normal pace of things. It’s nice to come back to that extra hour of daylight, which hopefully we’ll all put to productive (or at least enjoyable) use.

This is that kind of week. The one where something changes to a point that it begins a new segment of life. Sometimes it’s subtle, like the warmth and smell of spring after weeks of cold weather. Other times it’s big, like the end of classes or a holiday. Either way, it causes a sense of transition to wash over me, along with the knowledge that a new season has started.

I know, it probably seems funny to those of you in more northern climates that I could be writing this in February, but our Florida weather has finally made the leap from mid-forties to mid-seventies. It’s such a welcome change; one that I’m determined to enjoy fully. In addition to the warmer weather, this week has also been like taking a deep breath for me, schedule-wise. I feel like both my calendar and to-do list have been insanely packed ever since Christmas, but without any manner of fanfare, they’ve cleared out.

Just like being warmed by a momentary patch of sunshine through a break in the clouds, I’ve been trying to enjoy this “down” week. My calendar is for the next few months is lit up as brightly as ever, filled both with the obligatory and the unexpected. But for the past few days, I’ve opened the windows and doors in our house, cooked slowly, watched movies and begun dipping in to the stack of too long untouched books on my coffee table.

Seasons are so wonderful because they are simply that–divisions in the year, marking the time. They change just when life starts to feel like it’s running in circles. And even in places where their passage is not marked so clearly by a shift in climate, they are still noticeable. However, it is up to us to slow down and take the time to notice. Whether it’s this week or in a few to come, enjoy the change of life’s pace and tone.

So last week, I felt like I did really well. Four posts! I did them (almost) all during the previous weekend, and none of them took too long to write. It was a great start to my resolution to post more.

And this week…not so much. Last weekend was insanity. Between ladies cooking club, a baby shower, a Charlie Brown themed surprise party, a yoga photo shoot, visiting an adorable new baby, and dinner with friends, I barely glanced at my computer. By the time Monday rolled around, and my Google Calendar was lit up like a Christmas tree, I already knew this week would not be ripe with posts. I actually wrote a whole post for Real Food Wednesday and just didn’t have time to gather up images for it (don’t worry, it will be up next week).

But you know what? It’s okay. I have to remind myself that life is more important than blogging (yes, I’m aware of how silly that is). I also have to remind myself that I have a full time job, a commute, a husband, and a whole lot of life going on. Are there people who are busier than I am who manage to keep better, more updated blogs? Yup. But I am not them. This blog is not a business venture, or a networking tool, or a showcase. It’s for me to share the things I enjoy and love, and if there’s a post that makes someone smile or gives them a new way to do something, then that’s even better.

So here’s to another weekend of the craziness that is life, and remembering that there are always different seasons of life that ebb and flow just like the tides. The up, the down, the busy, the calm–but there is beauty to be found in all of them.

The lovely sketch above was done by Christina Sun, on her blog, Bowsprite. She has tons of sketches from the New York Harbor–they really inspire me to do more sketching (and watercolors).

Mr. Jones was out of town this weekend (his band, Lights of Evening, was playing a show in Port St. Lucie), so I spent a good bit of time catching up on reading, cleaning, and all around just chilling out. When my friends called on Saturday afternoon to see if I’d like to head to a local park for a nature walk, I was excited to get out and enjoy some fresh air. They have adorable kids, so I also seized the opportunity to practice a little with my new camera. The light was great, and I had such a fun time exploring the woods with some of my favorite people.

Our little wooden Christmas tree that Mr. Jones made last year

I can’t believe Christmas is on Saturday! I still have quite a few things to check off my list before we head up north for the holidays. We’re driving to Pennsylvania to spend Christmas with my family and I’m really excited. I haven’t been up to PA to see my mom’s side of the family in two years, so this trip is long overdue.

I’ve been listening to tons of Christmas music this year, thanks to various mixes and the discovery of some great albums (like A Very Rosie Christmas by Rosie Thomas and Oh, Blue Christmas by A Fine Frenzy). So, in the spirit of Christmas giving, I wanted to share the holiday mix I made when a friend and I decided to do a Christmas mix swap a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy it while you finish up those last presents, pack up for holiday travel, or just chill out by the fireplace.

Track Listing:

1 :: Winter Weather, Peggy Lee & Art Lund
2 :: Cool Yule, Louis Armstrong
3 :: Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frank Sinatra
4 :: Winter Wonderland, Bing Crosby
5 :: Have Yourself a Merry Christmas, Frank Sinatra
6 :: Joy to the World, Sufjan Stevens
7 :: Baby, it’s Cold Outside (Arp Remix), Dean Martin
8 :: Oh Christmas Tree, Charlie Brown Christmas
9 :: Christmas is Coming Soon, Blitzen Trapper
10 :: Last Christmas Ohbijou
11 :: 12.23.95, Jimmy Eat World
12 :: River, Rosie Thomas
13 :: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!, Sufjan Stevens
14 :: Winter Song, Sara Bareilles
15 :: Christmas Don’t Be late, Rosie Thomas
16 :: Blue Christmas, Bright Eyes
17 :: I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (Yesking Remix), Billie Holiday
18 :: What Are You Doing New Years Eve? (Mangini vs Pallin Mix), Ella Fitzgerald
19 :: Let’s Start the New Year Right, Frank Sinatra
20 :: Next Year, Baby, Jamie Cullum

Download (right click to save)

Two weeks ago, Mr. Jones ended up in the ER with the worst stomach pain he’s ever had in his life. It was a long night, complete with an IV, blood tests, a lot of morphine, and a CAT scan. After all the tests, the doctors told him he had epigastric abdominal inflammation–basically, his stomach was inflamed to the point that it was causing him pain. Everything else came back clear, and he hadn’t eaten anything crazy that day, but the next day his doctor told him it could have been caused by a build up of eating too many refined carbohydrates, caffeine, sugar, etc.

Since he never wanted to feel the way he did that night again, he decided to majorly revamp his eating habits. We eat healthy at home, but he’s often out running errands or at music practice and grabs fast food more often than he’d like.

I’d read about the GAPS diet before, on Keeper of the Home, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, and a number of other blogs, and knew it was a good way to reset the stomach and deal with negative food-related stomach problems. So we decided to try it! We’d modified it a bit since he’s not dealing with some of the allergies/issues that many people on GAPS have (and because we wanted to jump in and start doing it right away).

GAPS stands for “Gut And Psychology Syndrome.” It recognizes that there are certain health issues (such as heartburn/reflux, indigestion, bloating, cramping, constipation, eczema, asthma, dyslexia, depression, autism, ADD or ADHD, and more) that can be addressed by resetting your intestinal system (gut) and slowly introducing foods that are difficult to digest–refined carbohydrates and trans fats being at the top of the list. For most of our lives, we overload our digestive system with toxins and bad bacteria/gut flora. By cutting out many of the foods that are difficult to digest and assist in growth of bad gut flora, we begin to free our stomach of toxins and start to push the “reset” button on our guts.

“A child or adult who eats a diet high in difficult-to-digest carbohydrates such as grains and processed foods will continue to encourage the underlying condition of gut dysbiosis. Dr. Campbell-McBride states that people with damaged flora will crave the very foods that support the survival of the unhealthy bacteria, often to the exclusion and refusal of others.” (from the WAPF review of the GAPS book)

We completely cut grains, sugar, processed foods, caffeine and starches from our diet. Again, I cook without processed foods and try to avoid sugar, but I also give myself plenty of freedom to eat whatever when we’re out or eating with others. Because we generally eat such limited amounts of sugar, if I do get a craving for something sweet now and then, I don’t think twice about enjoying it.

So–this was definitely a change. It was difficult to cut certain things out completely (especially because I was doing the diet for solidarity rather than my own health). However, once I got over the hump of the first few days, I was surprised by how much more energy I had and how much better I felt.

During the first week, we ate only homemade bone broth, cooked vegetables/fruit, and meat. It’s important to eat only foods that you know your stomach can easily digest. Mr. Jones also ate small portions that didn’t overload his stomach, which I think really helped as his stomach healed.

Cutting out grains/carbs was a little scary at first–I like to do at least one pasta/vegetarian dish each week, and cook with wild rice and couscous on a regular basis. But it’s been a great opportunity to focus on vegetables (especially since our farmers’ market has been blooming with squashes, eggplant and greens) as well as organic, free-range meats.

We added in fermented dairy (yogurt, sour cream, etc.) during week two, as well as legumes. Again, we aren’t following the GAPS diet exactly (it uses a much slower progression to introduce new foods), but this has been working well and Mr. Jones is feeling pretty awesome. He’s lost 11 pounds over the past few weeks and his stomach is completely back to normal.

We plan to continue the GAPS diet through the holidays, slowly adding whole grains back in a little at a time over the next few months. I know that there will probably be some holiday meals where I’ll end up “cheating,” but I’m going to try and stick with the diet as closely as possible!

Have you tried a similar diet or cleanse? How did you help yourself stick with it?

I meant to write about my trip(s) to Savannah much sooner, but I kept pushing it back! All this getting dark early stuff makes me want to go to sleep as soon as I get home from work. I need to start turning all the lights on and putting more upbeat music on my record player.

I’ve only been to Savannah once before last week–Caleb and I had stopped for lunch on our way through to Virginia a few years ago. This month, as chance would have it, I ended up visiting twice in the same week.

Caleb and I headed up on Halloween to camp at Skidaway State Park for two nights, which wasn’t quite as creepy as I thought it might be. We cooked some “gourmet” camp food: grilled brie and pesto sandwiches, grilled shrimp kabobs. It was simply delicious–as long as you have quality ingredients, there’s no need to get complicated with food cooked over the fire!

We did plenty of bike riding, along with half a day of kayaking around Tybee Island. We paddled out to an abandoned lighthouse and climbed up the somewhat scary stairs to a beautiful view of the inlet. The dolphins were out in full force, and they kept us company for most of the trip.

The last night of camping, we heard on the radio that the Coastal Empire Fair was at the Savannah Fairgrounds, so we headed over. There’s nothing like 4H displays, carnival rides, racing pigs and a BEAR SHOW to cap off a successful camping trip.

After a visit to the Bonaventure cemetery, we spent our final night in the historic part of Savannah, at Savannah’s Bed & Breakfast Inn. We got the “Manager’s Special,” which means they pick your room from whatever rooms aren’t booked. The inn was great–close to everything we needed, a lovely room and an incredible breakfast (eggs with chive pesto, an herbed potato and more).

We spent most of our time in historic Savannah on our bikes. I’m so glad we brought them because it made getting around really easy. The city is pretty bike friendly and we were able to leave our car parked in one place the whole time.

Caleb and I both really enjoyed “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” so one of our first tourist stops was the Williams-Mercer House. It’s definitely worth a tour. The interior is fantastically preserved, and Jim Williams’ style has a quirky sense of humor. The gift shop is curated with a similar style of charm and was better than any of the more typical tourist shops.

We ate at some great spots, all of which I’d return to: SoHo Cafe, Zunzi’s, Gallery Espresso and of course, The Olde Pink House. If you visit, be sure to also stop by The Paris Market for something sweet at their cafe (and to explore all the fun things in their incredible store).

We headed home on Wednesday, just long enough for me to re-pack, go to work Thursday, then head BACK to Savannah for Geekend. I really enjoyed all the sessions and hearing from some great speakers on social media, development, and design. I also had one of the best french dishes ever at La Papillote, which I’d like to try and recreate in the very near future.

So Savannah, twice in one week–and I didn’t get sick of it. Definitely a fun city, and I’d love to go back again. Caleb and I joke that we do our vacations “Indiana Jones” style: half in the wild, half in the city. It’s a nice balance and one that fits Savannah well.