What's on your nightstand?

It's been a long, hard winter and I might have a bit of the winter blues ("are you SAD." John asks me jokingly, referring to Seasonal Affective Disorder). No, I am not really depressed, just...blah. It has been a struggle to keep up with everything, especially with the power outages due to the snow and ice, and my blogging has definitely been suffering.

But I am determined to begin again.  

With a short post.  About books. 

My friend Sigal wrote a post on her blog (www.momanddadacademy.com) about reading that got me thinking about my favorite hobby.

Books keep me sane.  They help me make sense of the world.  They are my companions and my therapy.  Both my escape and my connection to the world. I am excited for every dentist appointment, every haircut, and every plane ride because I get to read.  Even every bedtime.

Simple pleasures.

So, this is what I am reading now.  Plus, a couple on my Kindle (my favorite is Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement) and, of course, my favorite blogs. I am always reading a bunch of different things at once.

Like Sigal, I sometimes get asked how I have time to read, and I answer that you can find time for something you love.  We all do, whether that is TV, talking on the phone, texting, working out, or cleaning your house. None is more virtuous than the other, really. It's just our different ways to regulate, or ground ourselves.

I am terrible about returning texts, emails, or phone calls, I am always behind on the laundry, and I haven't exercised regularly since Ellie came home.  I have never seen Downton Abbey. But I find time to read.  

Anyway, any other readers out there?  What is on your nightstand right now?

SIx

Peter turned six this week.  It's cliche, but I can't believe my baby is so old!  I always tell Peter he will always be my baby, no matter how old he gets.

"Even when I'm 35?"

"Yes, even when you're 35."

Peter wanted to celebrate by going out to Macaroni Grill for dinner.

My parents, Mema and Papa, came with us.

We had a nice meal, and then came home for cake.  No one likes cake quite as much as Peter does!

…well, Christopher seemed pretty into it, too!

Then, yesterday, Peter continued to celebrate by having his best friend Finn come over to go swimming and then sleep over.  It is Peter's first sleep-over.

Aren't the boys so adorable?  They are really such good friends, and get along really well.

What's even better is that Finn gets along so well with all the children.  He fits right in.

Peter is such a sweet, gentle, inquisitive boy.  He loves computer games  -- like all kids, I know -- but he really seems to have a certain knack for figuring out computers and electronics.  He is still very much into his superheroes:  the classic Marvel and Justice League ones but he is now branching out into Ben 10 and other Japanese ones.  He believes with his whole heart in heroes and in good always winning over evil (just like Gandhi said).  He is just such a love.

As many of you know, Peter is our miracle surprise baby.  John and I both carry the gene for Cystic Fibrosis and we have a 25% chance of having a sick child.  We did not know if we would ever have another healthy birth child after Olivia.  Peter was not planned (by us!) but he was the answer to many prayers that I have another healthy pregnancy and get to experience childbirth and nursing one more time.  

His middle name, Samuel, means "God listens."

Every time I look at him I remember how much God loves me and that he hears my prayers.  I am so thankful for my beautiful, loving, healthy little boy.

Happy Birthday, Peter!

My Stitch Fix

As I posted recently, I have been feeling a bit depleted lately.  I don't have much time for myself, and I felt like I needed a little pick-me-up.

As I was walking the dog last week, I was listening on my iPod to one of my favorite podcasts, Simple Mom.  The speaker, Tsh, mentioned something I had never heard of before: Stitch Fix.

Tsh said that with Stitch Fix, you fill out an online questionnaire, and then a virtual personal shopper picks out some clothing items for you.  The questions ranged from the prices you were willing to spend on certain types of clothing, to your personal style, body type and your desire to cover or show off certain parts of your figure, and color preferences.

Then it is sent to your door.  I ordered myself one.

It was so fun to anticipate the box coming.

And even more fun to find it at my doorstep, and then open it.

Each Stitch Fix box contains 5 items.  You can keep or return whichever items you choose.  If you choose all 5, you get a 25% discount; if you choose none, you return them all but have to pay $20 for the service.  Of course, you can chose to keep only a few items, also.

I received this dress.  Price: $128:

This tank.  Price: $48:

This peasant blouse (thank you, Ellie) Price: $58:

This chambray shirt.  Price: $58:

And this necklace  Price: $28:

Then I quickly went upstairs to try everything on.  My two youngest joined me.  Of course!  They join me everywhere.

I really love this dress.  Very comfortable -- could probably dress it up with heels or down with flip-flops.  It was also very flattering.

Didn't love the tank top.  Made me feel a bit too busty.  It doesn't take much.

The peasant blouse was really pretty, but a little tight in the armpits (again, the busty problem). 

Surprise, surprise.  I loved the chambray shirt.  I never would have picked this out at the store, but it looked great on.  The embroidery was really pretty, and the color was flattering.

I think this is where StitchFix really excels:  it persuades you to try on things you might never have tried otherwise.

In the end, I decided to keep the dress and the chambray shirt.  I didn't like the way the tank and the peasant blouse fit me, so I sent them back.  I also decided to send back the necklace.  It was very delicate and pretty, but I knew I would never wear it.  I don't change my jewelry very often.  Heck, I usually get my whole look together in under 3 minutes!

It was easy to return everything, as Stitch Fix box comes with a prepaid envelope that I just dropped in the mailbox.  Perfect for this stressed mama.

What fun I had.