i have to admit that may totally slipped up on me wardrobe-wise! on may 1st i looked into my closet and realized that i could wear new pieces if i wanted to. i took that as a good sign. my april simple wardrobe was totally satisfying...and only 12 pieces! so...i mostly stuck with it for may. i switched out the black + white box top for a black tee...and the cream jumpsuit for a tan one. i also let my black tee dress go, as i mentioned earlier.
we are headed out on a 3 1/2 week road trip this month, so i thought i'd share that wardrobe instead this month. we are headed to the california coast, and it looks like there will be a range of temperatures...from quite cool to warm and sticky. this requires us to consider windy evenings by the beach as well as sunny, humid days in the city. there will be times we want to look cute enough for our favorite shops...and times we'll be hiking trails. i tried to consider being able to make a few outfits for each temperature, since these days will come in succession. i hope this simple wardrobe serves me well, because i'll have better things to focus on! :) here's what's on my simple packing list: tops: -white tee -black tee -striped cropped 3/4 sleeved tee -indigo long sleeved tee -olive button down bottoms: -wide leg cropped jeans -shorts one-pieces: -navy jumpsuit -honey jumpsuit warm layers: -grey wool/cashmere cardigan -howies jacket shoes: -toms -flip flops -athletic shoes extras: -swimsuit -caftan -1 pajamas -leggings -2 layering tanks -sunhat -underthings, 2 pairs socks all kinds of layering can happen with these pieces. i feel like i could make a million combinations (well, almost), so i don't think i'll get bored. well, i know i won't get bored. we are going to california! :) hope you have some adventures on your horizons as well! :) love, jane as if i needed another reason to commit to letting go of fast food for good...this article connecting fast food to increased phthalate levels is another. fast food is also notorious for piles of waste, terrible nutrition, disgusting meat backstories, and poorly paid employees. ok, so...i somehow reveal many of my dark little secrets here...and here's another: i like the idea of fast food...and i like to eat it sometimes too. a cheap, quick fix to a midday stomach rumble has definite appeal to me...especially when we're out and about. providing food for my tribe 3-5 times a day is not one of my favorite tasks, mostly because it is just relentless. there are lots of good fast food alternatives out there, but i want this to truly work for me. it will be useful to consider my unique preferences in regards to 'fast food', which include: -variety is the spice of life, and i want to have and provide a spicy life. -i don't want to have to buy lots of different ingredients. -the food has to be relatively cheap. i don't have a lot of extra money to spend. -i don't want to have to spend a whole afternoon cooking ahead of time for these 'easy' snacks. -fast food means fast. -less waste and unprocessed...so prepackaged alternatives are out. -nutrition is important. these are some of the drive-thru thoughts that tempt me when i'm out in the car. i'm sure yours would be different, but the idea is the same: come up with an acceptable, doable alternative before the temptation sets in.
-coffee shop drink: take a mason jar + ask if they would be willing to put the drink in there. -frozen strawberry lemonade: split a smoothie poured into mason jars...that we keep in the car with us. or make strawberry lemon smoothies at home (so good!). -warm chocolate chip cookies: get bulk cookies in a cloth bag at the grocery store or bakery. or make cookies at home + keep dough in the fridge/freezer ready to go. -donuts: ask for those donuts to be put in our cloth bag or do it myself at the grocery store. or banana cookies (or other treat) from a bakery...put into a cloth bag or bandana. -tacos: chipotle burrito(s) + ask them to put them into our container. -burger (with or without fries): make it a rare treat + eat in at a place that serves them on plates. or make homemade baked potato or sweet potato 'fries' at home. -dollar menu lunch: bulk bagels in cloth bag from panera, the grocery store, or bakery. -frozen yogurt or ice-cream: get it in a cone or take a mason jar + spoon. i have never taken to having a 'zero-waste kit' with me, because i feel like we can make zero-waste choices without extra supplies to worry about. just going home for a snack or lunch is usually preferable to eating one out anyway...or leaving the house prepared with a snack of fruit + nuts, granola bars or balls, sandwiches, or homemade cookies is what i try to do. we can choose to eat out at places that use real dishes instead of disposables. we can refuse straws, so we haven't invested in metal straws or portable cutlery. i envision having dirty cutlery and/or difficult to clean metal straws (i know there are straw cleaning brushes, but my goal is to have less stuff) in my bag...still dirty the next time i want to use them. i know myself. :) obviously prompt clean-up and replacing supplies in the kit is key. but, i am considering keeping a few things in the car now...especially for an upcoming road trip. and...my mind is so feeble...especially when hungry and tempted with ease...i'm going to keep a little cheat sheet listing my alternatives in the glove compartment, so there are no excuses. i need all the help i can get to make good choices. setting myself up to do just that seems a good place to start. love, jane i set out to write a list of happy things the other day. it wasn't hard. i had to write fast to keep up with my thoughts. the most interesting thing happened when i looked back over my incomplete list. there wasn't a single thing-thing on my list...you know what i mean? the things on my list weren't really things that you buy from a store so much as things i experience and take in...little blessings sprinkled throughout my days ordinary or not...things i have to stop and notice...little love notes from the God of the universe.
here are a few of my favorite happy things: ~the first ripe strawberry from the garden ~the smell in the air just before it starts to rain ~warm, cozy socks when my feet are cold ~an unsolicited hug ~a single lady bug ~the first glimpse of the pacific ocean each time ~sunsets in joshua tree ~glimpsing a shooting star ~the thwack of a screen door ~watching the sun sink into lake michigan ~sleeping under clean sheets ~feeling the breeze through a screened window ~roadtrips ~a maple tree full of riotous reds ~just melty vanilla ice-cream ~finding seashells ~fish tacos ~lilacs ~beach grass ~cactus in their natural surroundings ~a white room in candlelight ~campground pine + campfire smell ~the sound of waves crashing ~seeing my long shadow ~hot chai tea ~iced tea with fresh mint, lemon + honey ~laughing so hard tears slide down my cheeks what would your list include? what things really make you happy? i bet you can't keep from smiling while writing them down. happy happy list making! love, jane during these cold months, i have let my resolve to get out there and exercise wane. last week, i decided to make it my goal to walk a shorter distance than usual for seven days in a row. since my main goal is to get out the door consistently, i chose to focus on the shorter distance. i hope to override my laziness with the notion that it is no big deal to meet this simple challenge.
on the second day of walking, my very goal oriented daughter asked me what my goal would be after the seven days. i said that i hadn't thought that far ahead yet and was simply trying to focus on this goal first. ...but that i hoped that after seven days i would appreciate walking so much that i would want to keep doing it every day. hopefully my homebound muscles will have remembered what it feels like to move and will be ready to take on more distance and intensity. my mind and spirit will have benefitted from experiencing these little God-gifts each day (because there really is beauty in every season). and yes, i will set a new goal with the confidence that i can meet my goals...having done so once already. i'm working on a habit boost...slow and steady...body, mind, and soul. love, jane thoughtful words about making thoughtful things.
beautiful sisterhood. misty + degas = love. instant gratification..."slow down consumption." because unicef says children are making our clothes. things slaves are involved in producing...and the US bill to ban them! (it will still be difficult to enforce.) also this, because: "remind your daughter that the best thing she can do with her body is to use it to mobilize her beautiful soul." amen. hoping you lose it at some point this lovely weekend! love, jane i want my daughter to be strong and kind and happy in her own skin. And I want her to be able to look at society's expectations of women with a critical eye. I try to lead by example. ~hannah henderson
2015 was definitely the year of the concert for us. i finally felt like julia looked old enough, jo is super into music, and mama and papa couldn't be more excited to get back out there! concerts made amazing gifts and memories! we're afraid this year can't be topped. it was an incredible one! and now for the hardest post of the year (says jo)...2015 favorites:
fave song: jane: choices by to kill a king, weapon by bastille jo: father by youth julia: let her go by break of reality fave book: jane: all the light we cannot see by anthony doerr jo: six of crows by leigh bardugo julia: the candymakers by wendy mast fave place visited: jane: pentwater beach , mi jo: twenty one pilots concert venue julia: pentwater beach, mi fave album: jane: st. lucia's when the night, hozier's hozier jo: twenty one pilot's blurryface, youth's start again, levi the poet's seasons julia: enya's shepherd moons and watermark fave new discoveries: jane: judah and the lion, oh wonder, voxtrot jo: yøuth, judah and the lion julia: enya (we have to mention that most of these are all of our favorites! we just agreed to diversify to add more!) :) what are your 2015 faves? we'd love to hear! love, jane + jo + julia i love this place and feel so grateful to have it close by. i am even more blessed to have companions who love to wander with me! there is always something new to visit…and our familiar favorites never disappoint.
hope you find some inspiring places to wander this week as well! love, j + j + j mr. tribe had a conference in nashville, so we decided to go along for the (long) ride. a few of the highlights included: ~a trip to anna maria's craft south…pure loveliness! i especially enjoyed seeing this collaboration between anna maria's loominous and shutters & shuttles…gorgeous. ~imogene + willie (directly across the street)…pure eye candy. ~a drizzly walk around the rest of the 12 south neighborhood. ~a drink from the turnip truck and a look at the guitar collection at two old hippies…jo got to strum on a few beautiful ukeleles. ~watching a coin concert at 3rd and lindsley (even though i forgot the tickets at home!!) ~(it was a pleasant surprise when the opening band, yøuth, was almost as good!) ~lovely, lovely wilder. ~hey rooster where we had a chat with the sweet owner (wearing a cute handmade dress) and bought a lovely vintage dress for julia. all the goods inside are handmade or vintage! ~a stroll through fatherland. our favorite was thrive which sells only fair-trade goods.
we also ate some good food! ~the local taco…this was a repeat for us…from our last visit to nashville…so you know we like it! ~frothy monkey for a pancake lunch + fresh fruit ~marche…brunch was so good! croissant french toast, meatloaf sandwich and mac + cheese...yes, please! ~burger up…veggie burgers or otherwise + the most amazing fries + homemade ketchup! until next time, nashville! we like you a whole lot! love, jane + jo (+ julia too) |
on a journey toward zero-waste, simplicity, + compassion :: daring to choose fair one choice at a time
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