Time has flown by and while I had hopes for getting a website launched and waited for that, the wait stalled my blogging. I wasn't sure if I should blog more or just wait for the website. As I plan for the next thing I thought it was about time to get back to the blog. So we'll see where the future of sarahswritingcafe ends up and for now get back to basics here.
This year we have a senior! What? Oh my goodness. Yes! "The days are long but the years are short". I'm not sure who originally said this but Gretchin Rubin quotes this often on her podcast Happier. And you cannot get a better summation of the motherhood/parenting experience. Some days feel like an eternity when you are home with babies all day. Then snap your fingers and your oldest child is a senior in high school and making plans for college and buying a car. Looking back I wouldn't trade the hard days: the teething, the tears over schoolwork, sleepless nights, hot sweaty hours balancing a bike without training wheels, coaching through teen struggles. Here we are and the bond we have runs deep. The beautiful moments (Look Mama I can...moments, seeing countless smiles for all the heartfelt wins from first Bible quizzing awards to getting her license) outweigh the struggles and looking over her senior photos my heart wells with thankfulness for the journey already passed and the road ahead. For privacy reasons I won't share our favorite senior photos but I love them all and our photographer did such an amazing job: Honest to Goodness Photography
My favorite new gadget is this drink adapter for my van. Gone are the days of my water bottle rolling all over the place. It also holds my favorite healthy treat: Sobol smoothie bowl. It's adjustable so pretty much anything from a bowl to a coffee fits nicely. This would make the perfect gift or stocking stuffer.
Kayaking! If you've never gone you should try it out. The tricky part for me is balancing the kayak getting in or out but if you can use a boat launch and walk into the water it helps tremendously. I also have an open top so I don't feel like my legs will get stuck and my kayak is short and slides right up the the middle of my van and I can get the trunk shut easily. Just slide it in and GO! I love the feeling of sitting in the water and paddling fast or slow is so calming and peaceful. We also have 2 inflatable kayaks and they are smooth in the water and an easy way to get started, transport, and store. The bonus is that the Intex Kayaks are more affordable and come with a paddle and a pump.
Since 2017 I've been a huge fan of Chatbooks. It's been a lifesaver and game changer to keep up with all my photos and get them off of my phone and into our hands. I do all of it on an easy to use app right on my iPhone. The kids love getting their Chatbooks in the mail (who is on the cover this time?) and often I see them with a stack on the couch browsing through for fun. No more bulky photo albums taking up space or taking forever for me to finally finish. If you want to try out Chatbooks let me know and I might be able to get you a coupon code.
Hope you enjoy my latest favorite picks!
Feel free to leave a comment and share what you are loving right now!
