Dana Burland

Last February on a family trip to Arizona I got an idea. That first day it only warmed up to 60º but I laid out on our AirBnB’s astroturfed backyard and defrosted... and thought about handstands. I’d always wanted to be able to do one, but being in my mid-30s with 2 kids changes things physically. It seemed like my handstand window had closed, even though these 2 kids being a bit older and able meant my time for me window was reopening. Well, what’s the worst that could happen? (...a snapped neck) I found a YouTube video on how to start, placed my hands near a wall, tried and miserably failed multiple times to go vertical. I tried again. And again. And again and again and again. At home, at the gym, at my parent’s house. It took a lot of guts, but not all that much time to practice a few minutes a day. Eventually it took less guts. I could get myself up, then worked to get steady, then worked on my form. Which is still not great, mind you. I handstand a few times a week now. Al...

Ordering a Paw Patrol cake for someone’s 4th birthday. Sneaking into their rooms at night to put treats in their holiday themed mailboxes–passed down to me from my mom. C absolutely loving the soccer jersey I bought him while traveling abroad, where I was thinking about him and missing him so much. Rainbow Bear, Blankie, Timmy, Baby Yoda. The boys’ beloved stuffies they call their babies. Which makes me a grandma already, oy. The focus of Adrian writing an A, desperate to get the two vertical lines to meet up at the top. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. And how fiercely independent he is, wanting to buckle his helmet and car seat. Wouldn’t you know, often he does it. And when we talked about what things we knew–smart things that filled our brains like math and reading and how to cook–when asked what was in his brain, A replied: “Apple pie”. And Cam, who performed BEAUTIFULLY in his first piano recital. A first piano recital is no “little thing” at all. Heck, I star...

You know what I noticed most while strolling through Amsterdam after work? The lights. Lights strung over streets, in windows, creating a warm light glow as you walk through town. They’re not Christmas lights, a Dutch coworker corrected me, they’re winter lights. Up November through March to brighten the city in the cold, dark winter. Wow, that’s smart. And not to be a total American-swooning-over-London, but I still haven’t recovered from how much I loved afternoon tea. Walking around London in November it made sense. It’s chilly and gray there, too. The total body warmth of tea, and ability to down more of it than coffee, I get it. As a Coffee Girl I was not prepared to come home scouring the grocery store aisle tea selection… or Facebook Marketplace for tea sets. I found one. For $8. Anyway. Winter just dumped itself on us, as it typically does in West Michigan. It’s freezing and gray, and it’ll stay this way forever. I went wild on automatic ambient light this year. Some of...

A 5K to start the day. Not my fastest, by design. Just for fun, because I can, and it feels good. This stuffing (without chestnuts), which has become the de facto stuffing for years and years. These very easy mashed potatoes . These never fail brownies (with 2 handfuls of chocolate chips tossed in before baking.  If you might be traveling for Thanksgiving dinner like me, I highly suggest that trifecta. The stuffing transported across the state easily, only vying for one spot in the oven. The mashed potatoes reheated perfectly in the microwave. I brought the brownies baked. There was something about my mother-in-law's pre-cooked onion and ginger ale turkey that hit just right this year. Classic cheesy potatoes and my sis-in-law's simple green beans were great, too. There weren't 400 people nor 500 dishes. Just enough for a special family dinner together and a good reminder you don't need any more to be thankful for what you have.

For a while work has had me designing web experiences for consumers, and working closely with colleagues, in Europe. In mid-October my boss asked–can you make it on a business trip to Amsterdam next month? To which I quickly replied–sure, but can I tack on personal travel with my husband after? And that (after frantic planning, rushed freezer meal stocking and a lot of help from family) is how a work week in Amsterdam and a whirlwind 4 days in London with B happened. First stop: Amsterdam Obviously this was mostly work, but with some touristy moments too. Most memorable: the Anne Frank House. Beforehand I watched A Small Light , a GREAT mini series from the vantage point of a Dutch woman who hid the family. Highly recommend. The Anne Frank House itself was incredibly powerful. Walking the same floors, staircases, the moving bookshelf door leading to the annex where 8 Jews hid for 2 years. 2 YEARS. It’s one thing to learn about history, it’s another to stand in the middle of it. I ...

You’re 6, and you’re dressing up as a Michigan State football player. You don’t know anything about the university’s continued failures to do the right thing. You know we have a new coach, we’re not great this year, and MSU is Daddy’s favorite team. You came home from school telling me how you cheered “go Michigan…” and a fellow State fan/friend in your class responded “STATE!”... over and over again. That delighted you. When we got squashed by U of M this year you said “that’s ok because they’re a really good team and we tried our best, and that’s all that matters”. That delighted me. You’re 3 and you’re George—the little brother of Peppa Pig, your current favorite cartoon. George is a sweet little baby brother pig who just wants to play dinosaurs and hang with his big sister Peppa—who mostly adores George, except when she doesn’t. I wonder if you can relate?! Your costume comes with a pink piggy hat, a shirt with extra fluff in the tummy and a pink curly pig tail. When we ask what G...

I’m out in the cold drizzle, cleaning out this year’s garden. Boy was it full of life. Wild, twisting, unpredictable, ugly at times and thriving unimaginably in storms and under the pressure of heat and near tornado like weather. It had so much more potential, too. But the circumstances are different now. It’s time for the garden to die. It doesn’t want to. The parsley is as green and full as it’s ever been. The rosemary is sturdy and tall. Even the old basil has more to give. I pick the last bucket of bright red cherry tomatoes. How have these survived the last week? It’s been cold. There are hundreds more green and yellow tomatoes hiding on spindly arms, ready to keep going if they’re left to it. My tomato cages didn’t hold this year and the cherry tomato plant ran wild and free, through the garden fence, over the heirloom tomato plant, it neighbored the basil. Don’t be gagged, I thought. Grow where you grow. All of you can grow together. I yank at the cherry tomato plant ba...

Join me in welcoming to the family Not Yet Named Black Ford SUV #2! After 9 years with my trusty Nissan Altima , it was time for something new. Something without all the miles, something a little newer, something a smidge bigger. Thanks to man who went by "Goose" at my local Ford used car dealership, I'm in this beauty now: A sporty little Ford Escape! With roof rails so I don't have to look so silly pillow mounting two kayaks on top of a sedan. Man, did we make a lot of drives to the river always under 35mph and with a lot of prayer. First--a moment of silence and recognition for the Nissan Altima. What is it about saying goodbye to a car that is like popping a big bottle of emotions? We got the Altima the fall before we got married. I remember my Dad asking why I was getting such a big sedan, and me knowing that it was because this would be the car I'd drive future kids around in. And drive them around I did. Two of them! For 6 years! That car saw a whole lot of...

We are in a state of absolute Little Boy PowerTM over here. These two wild and crazy, silly and spunky, lovable guys are a blast. Normally I’m just trying to keep up, but on a few occasions I’ve really jetted ahead in cool points. In particular, these items are A+++ around our house. They’re either mega-hits with the boys, or mega-hits with me helping keep some sort of guardrails of sanity up. Pedal Go Kart At least 7 families have purchased this same go kart after seeing ours. It is, hands down, the best driveway riding toy out there. Stable enough for a 3 year old, (seat) adjustable enough for a short 36-year-old (not comfortably…). Sports/garage organizer I’ve owned this for 2 days. It’s an immediate yes, yes, yes. We just gained enough garage space for 7 more Go Karts with this organizer in our garage. Honorable mention in the garage organization category–these wall bike hooks . They’re really sturdy and I love that they can hold a bike of any size. A bedroom accent light–...

Sorry, I have no time. It's a school night, a piano lessons night, a didn't clean all the way up from hosting Yom Kippur last night night, a it's been a full and busy workday night, a got a call to pick up a sick kid from school night, a reading should get done, and someone wants to play marble track, and also I had a good dinner so can I have another small cup of mini marshmallows and blueberries please? night. This is the dinner I make on that night. One that is fast and yummy, and yields the perfect amount of leftovers for me to take to family who could use a meal or two prepared for them because they're having a different but equally crazy kind of night too. So while I'd love to talk, here's dinner: Chicken Sausage, Veggie + Pasta Sheet Pan Perfection Ingredients Chicken sausage Veggies--bell pepper, onion, Brussels Sprouts, tiny cherry tomatoes from the garden Gnocchi or frozen cheese tortellini Pesto Honey Directions 1. Cut chicken sausage and veggies to a...

Wow, wishing I could voice-to-blog this one. I’m so sore from yesterday’s triathlon I’m surprised my fingers can type! Yesterday was my last tri of the season–Rhoades McKee Reeds Lake Sprint Triathlon. Man. Triathlons are HARD, but I did really well! This was my second time at this tri. I bettered my time by a minute, came in 5th in my age group and ran my fastest 5K to date. I followed a new, and VERY challenging 8-week training plan for this race. VERY little rest, a lot of doubling up on workouts and routinely running some bigger mileage. I’m proud of so many of those workouts, although overall the training plan was TOO taxing on me and not one I’ll repeat. Here’s a break down of the race: Swim When my age group started an intense fog settled over the lake. It came on fast–the elite group starting 30 minutes before us had perfect conditions! It was impossible to spot buoys for turn points and people clustered together in the water more because of it. I routinely had to pop m...

You know what sneaks up on you quickly? Kids play dates.  Jack's house. Ben's house. Judah's birthday party.  As soon as it starts, it just keeps going.  And having your kids not at your house... it's kind of wonderful. Go on and play with friends, explore some new homes. Take your manners with you and don't share any of crazy stuff that goes on here (like dinner time sing-alongs to "Neon Moon" using a spaghetti serving spoon as a microphone)... But also, how well do you know the parents of your kids' friends? And even if you feel comfortable with them, how well do you know their house? I pose these simple 4 questions to any parent hosting our kids: 1. Do you have any guns/weapons in the house I should know about? 2. Any alcohol or medication that might be within a kid's reach? 3. Do you have a pool, hot tub or is your home on/near a body of water I should know about? 4. Anything else I should know when thinking about my kid safely playing at your ...

“This is the best summer of their lives” Ben and I would often say to each other over the last 2.5 months. This was the first year we had two big, non-napping, can-hold-their-own boys. So, for the first time, our summer activities reflected that. We went to a baseball game, kayaked, swam at the outdoor pool we belong to a ton, went to outdoor summer fairs and carnivals, went strawberry picking, went to almost every Monday night outdoor concert in our neighboring town, hit up the zoo, played pinball at an indoor arcade on a not-so-great-weather day, went to the “big beach” (Lake Michigan), got lots of ice cream at Frosty Boy, went on long family bike rides, had water balloon fights in the backyard with neighbors, waded in the river at a park where the water goes up to your knees and you can catch some little minnows in nets (if you’re fast enough). The boys had some nice long weekends visiting grandparents, and we took a family trip to Milwaukee . On Monday school starts. Yeah, we’...

My favorite part about family vacations has little to do with our location or activities and almost everything to do with the silly inside jokes that come from so many uninterrupted hours of time together. Like 3-year-old Adrian out of nowhere mimicking the deep radio announcer from the radio station we listen to most at home: “Q 94.5”. Or 6-year-old Cam always wanting to kiss when we came/left the AirBnB through their beautiful backyard “secret garden”. Or the song that plays during the breakfast scene in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure–a clip I introduced the boys to recently–that they (understandably) can’t get enough of. Cam every time says “oh my gosh!” when the dinosaur skeleton squeezes the orange to make orange juice… that part especially just sends him over the end. We did have a great time traversing Milwaukee together for an extra long weekend. Ben and I had been before with friends, many pre-kid years ago and loved it . It felt like a good place to explore as we continue to exp...

Yesterday was Cam's 6th birthday. SIX! Unimaginable, unless of course you're in the near orbit of this beautiful, brilliant, curious, kind, Pokemon card collecting, deep pool diving, soccer loving guy. Then you'd just be too enthralled by him constantly to be shocked by a number.  I took the day off work and kept him home from summer camp so we could have a Day of Cam. Whatever he says, goes. Here's what you pick when you are six: Morning cartoon with your brother Sprinkle and chocolate chip pancakes with sausage for breakfast Building Pokemon Legos Movie on the couch--a favorite: Sing 2 Nintendo Switch time (Sonic and Crash Bandicoot Racing) Pizza lunch--Mom introduced me to bacon cheese pizza. OMG! And yeah, I'll want this later for dinner, too, AJ's Family Fun Center (mini golf, go karting, bumper boating, arcade play) More Nintendo Switch Biking with Mom to pick up Adrian from daycare--all on my own, not in the trailer!  Multiple suckers, a Lemon Head (new! ...

Sure, why not another tri? About a week ago my brother was convinced to sign up for the Tri del Sol Super Sprint Tri, and thus convinced me. (It didn’t take much convincing.) I figured the Super Sprint would be more of a fun workout vs an uber competitive, fall-down-at-the-finish-line event. Lol pre-race me. This was my first Tri del Sol. It was a much smaller race at the YMCA’s Camp Manitou-Lin in Middleville. If I had a gripe, which I’d never, I’d add for factual reference: I woke up at 4:45 for a 8am start time. The drive there plus required a 7am lakefront meeting for an 8am race start made for a lot of sit and wait. The swim was 200m, and man that water was clear and lovely. I was in and out in 3 & ½ minutes. It felt… harder than I wished it would? Probably because when it comes to a race in water I’ve only got one mindset and speed. I snapped into my new transition mindset: this is meant to be fast, but if you don’t calm down and compose yourself you’ll take longer....

The boys are having the summer of their lives this year. We’ve gone to festivals, baseball games, ice cream runs, kayak adventures, concerts, pool dates, and the list goes on. “Family days” (as we call weekend days) are souped up and special. Often weekday summer nights are too, so much that A routinely asks if events like a Monday, 7pm outdoor concert at the park is a Family Day. So now we have a new term: “Family night”. Extra special, beyond routine, feels-like-a-weekend summer weeknight together. You know what else is a summer special? B’s birthday! This don’t-make-a-scene-of-my-birthday guy is the world’s best dad and supportive husband. So fine, I won’t make a scene of your birthday, but I will make you an extra special birthday cake and write a blog post about it. I think I’m coming juuusttt under the radar here. 🙂 As coincidence would have it, a Bon Appetit recipe for chocolate sheet cake with broken butter frosting popped up on my Instagram feed. That screams adult AND ki...

This is the second in a series of stories I’m telling on pivotal family members . I learned so much about family I knew and never got to meet while working on a family tree project. These stories inspire me and stand out the most. Papa (my mom’s dad) was born Nicholas Plaskon on December 12, 1913 in small town Benld, Illinois. His dad Samuel was a rough and tough coal miner, an immigrant from Austria; his mom Anna was a Benld-born, one of seven kids, feisty and cranky woman. Childhood was tough for Nick. The family had little money and his dad was a physically abusive alcoholic, often beating his children with a wood 2x4 and insisting on eating before the children were fed. Nick had an older brother and two younger sisters. He shared a pair of socks with his brother, John. Nick became a young vagabond, running around town hitching rides on trains in order to make money to support the family. He would tell us grandkids about growing up foraging dandelion greens for dinner during the...

Dang, that was a ride! The last time I did this ride was 10(!) years ago . It’s been a while since I’ve been on my bike for that amount of time. Lately I’ve been hanging out around 15 miles or less. I certainly had the fitness from tri training for this ride, but the full enjoyment–not so much. We had an amazing weather day for the ride though. Overcast at 8:15am at start, clearing up to full sun that thankfully only got hot toward the end of our ride. I rode with my brother, who kept me at a pace just above what I’d do if I were on my own. Keeping up with him was a challenge the whole ride! He did coach me into getting down to my bottom handlebars where I really hadn’t spent much time utilizing. I get it now, low handlebar riding is where it’s at. Overall I finished the 40 mile ride in 2:29:11 (including a 5ish min mid-way break). My bike calculator stats were 2:24; average speed 16.6. Also, please note, THIS WAS HILLY! Like 1,200ft of elevation during the ride. I wasn’t riding th...

I’m the family historian . 10ish years ago I documented my mom’s and dad’s family trees. I talked with aunts and cousins, interviewed my grandparents, collected stories, documents and photos. I heard things I never knew from people I knew so well. I learned SO much, and strangely every time I go back to my research–I learn even more. A branchy family tree chart is cool to look at, but what’s most fascinating are the stories. Immigrations, scrappiness, war, survival. It’s nothing like life today, and it’s amazing. SO! As family historians are apt to do, I want to share some stories. And as non-family historians are likely to do, you might not care. But these big lives, boiled down into a few simple blog posts I’ll be writing are incredible, so near and dear to me, and worthy of capturing. I bet you never dreamed you’d be shared across the Internet, Grandpa Izzy, but here we go. My great grandpa Izzy (my dad’s dad’s dad) was born in Ludg/Lodz, Poland in 1897. His dad was a teacher to ...

Omg, alert the press! The nation's largest true crime case has been solved! I got my fair and square actual, accurate time officially updated from the GR Sprint Tri .  I know those 2 questionable minutes were keeping America up at night. Trust me, SAME. I'm thrilled I went on a calm, one-woman crusade for justice. In case you're new to the case, my official results from the swim seemed slow. 2 minutes slower than what I clocked on my watch, which is a big enough deal when my (actual) overall swim time was 12 min, 6 seconds. Compounding my concern was the results claiming I was in the water at 7:00:01--RIGHT at the race start time--when, thanks to a smart wave entry for swim start--I was about 2 minutes behind the first bodies in the water. Ok, so now you know the background. Let's dive into evidence... First--in a I-can't-let-this-go tizzy I posted on the triathlon Facebook page asking if anyone else noticed a slow swim time claiming they were in at the exact start ...

That was my best sprint tri yet. Yes, in overall time, but more so in confidence, control and feel. Swim It was 55º outside at 7am when the swim started. BRRR! Thankfully the water temp was 72º. I wore my new tri suit which is undoubtedly heavier than the pool Speedo I wore in years past, but it felt great to swim in. I worked my butt off on that swim–really fought for it, regulated my breathing and pulled strong. I’m proud of that effort. Now… I have beef with my swim results. The official results say I was in the water at 7:00:01, out at 7:14. I wasn’t in at the exact race start–I was about 2 min behind the first group in. I raced with a watch and tracked my swim at 12:05, not 14:15 shown in my results. I don’t know what happened there, but I’m bummed at that official number. Transitions This race is unique in that after 2016 they moved the transition area. After your swim there’s a .3 mile run BACK to your bike. I was quite happy with my transitions this year. I didn’t rush, s...

We've unlocked a new family activity: kayaking! This comes after a huge flop of an inflatable kayak (but it had 24K high reviews!) purchase last fall off Amazon, complete with a maiden voyage where I shouted from shore to Ben & C--NO! COME BACK! THAT'S ENOUGH! YOU'RE IN THE WATER! Then we realized Ben's company gives a good chunk of cash to each employee annually as "wellness dollars"--workout equipment including kayaks qualifies for reimbursement. Score! So I shopped around and bought two from a sound, renowned water sports shop--our local grocery store. No, but for real, they put out kayaks for sale each season for whatever reason. And they're a brand name I know from research. Immediately after purchase we took them to the Thornapple River public launch spot a half mile from our house. Ben & C in one, my brother & A in the other. It was a great maiden voyage! The boys loved it. We'll be back and back and back.  Also this weekend was a tr...

They're 5 and 3. The May after dinner sunlight makes the backyard glow. In its sunny flames is an awkwardly parked go kart (that really does bupkis on grass, but whatever), a soccer net, some rogue Legos. A yard away is a rake, foam swords, the neighbor's play structure.  This is the season, the first two weekends in a row. The boys have found Their Tribe. Neighbor boys come to the door asking to play, and off they all go. This game into that, into that, into what are you doing now? There's a monster chase game, talk of Pokemon cards, a scream I check on and make sure is all in good fun.  I'm partially fanning the friend flames, partially staying the heck out of the way. I'm thrilled for them.  Childhood magic is happening in front of me. 

I’m up early watching King Charles III’s Coronation, which reminds me I never told you of my new crowning, title, honor, stature–as assistant coach of the 7 & under Grizzly Bear youth soccer team. Assistant Queen to The Queen, if you will. I’m second in line behind an ahhh-mazing head coach, fellow mom of a Grizzly Bear player, who truly knows her soccer stuff. Which is great, because beyond put-that-ball-in-the-net, no-hands, I know nuthin’. It’s an absolute joy to watch C play soccer, on the field as a coaching participant or on the sidelines watching. He LOVES soccer. LOOOVVVES it. He’s great at it, too. The biggest thing I do as an assistant is hang with the kids who currently aren’t playing at the moment (the bench) on the “Team Blanket”. The things I see and hear from 5 year olds on that team blanket…. Anytime C is sitting out, he’s itching to get back in, talking about what he’s going to work on when he’s in and playing again. I’m also in charge of the “weekly themes”, t...

Ok, I just thought of this today, not sure why... but it's a funny story. For C's 5th birthday party this past July we hired a magician to come to the house and put on a show for all his friends.  It was great. So many kids, parents, a summer day that was suppose to get rained out but thankfully didn't, way too many people in our big yard and cruising through our tiny house. C was feeling the love. And the magician, he was into it. He informed me ahead of time he has a particular routine, professional and skilled act for pre-Kindergarteners. He was taking it v seriously, but also overall great. It takes a special kind of person to be a kid's birthday party magician. They're cut from the same cloth of driver's ed instructors and middle school health teachers. You just... have to be a little unique.  Pre-party he arrived well ahead of time, got himself set up, all was fine. I did notice he pulled up in a pretty janky car held together in some homemade fashion. Ho...

Today is the first day of my 8 week training for the GR Sprint Triathlon . I’ve done this tri before , and I’ve done this training before, but this year, I have some new training goals. I 100% find training more enjoyable and rewarding than the race itself. The race is great, but 8 weeks of challenging myself, failing, succeeding and learning from it all–that’s what I love the most. Here’s what I’ll be thinking about for the next 8 weeks: Strengthen + Prevent Injury My training plan has no weight, stretch or yoga workouts built in. I know I need this, and this year I want to be diligent about doing it. Maybe it’s thoughtfully engaging my core during runs, 5-10 minutes of weights after a bike ride, or stretching while watching TV at night. Gain Open Water Experience I train in a pool, but I’d reallllly like to get more comfortable in open water before race day. Not only does open water swimming CREEP. ME. OUT. but it feels drastically different muscle use and pull wise than pool ...

Greetings from the new Senior Manager of Experience Design and Content Strategy at BISSELL. I’ve been promoted! After a year and a half of rocking and rolling in  my first position at BISSELL  it feels great to be recognized and bumped up.  In this role I get to design the post purchase support experience–and more. Anyone who purchased a BISSELL product and wants to track their package, return it, learn how to use it, solve an issue with it, get replacement parts or repair help–in the US, Canada, UK and soon more–will interact with an experience I helped design. I’ve also expanded my scope beyond that. Last winter, as we prepared to announce a global product recall, I was responsible for crafting all the consumer facing content and agent scripting in 20+ languages. I manage an actively growing team of 4+ really stellar team members who are absolutely the wheels, gas and oil that keep the bus going. Some extra-curriculars I’m especially proud of: Comple...

Today marked the 3rd and final triathlon in the YMCA’s Indoor Winter Tri series. This was my first time doing these events, and it was great. I’ll be back and back and back. Today’s race was tough! I’ve been healthy 1 week off a 3ish week cold/sinus infection. Overall I’m really happy with my performance and feeling like I’m newly back to the training shape I like to hang out in. This tri was different than the previous two ( 1 , 2 ). Jan and Feb were structured for 15 minutes in each discipline, with 5 minutes break for each transition. This one was distance based–complete 450 meters (18 lengths) in the pool, 6 miles on a stationary bike, 2 miles running on the indoor track. Transition times between each count toward your total time. I swam 450m in 6:09–averaging 1:22 per 100. Transitioned to bike in about 4ish min. Biked 6 miles in 20:26–averaging 17.6 mph. Transitioned to run in 20 seconds. Ran 2 miles in 16 min 45 sec–averaging 8:23 pace. I finished 5th for overall women a...

I’m sitting back in Grand Rapids, but still in a New York state of mind from a weekend parent’s only trip to NYC. B and I snuck away for 48 hours to NY for a whirlwind of a weekend. The goal was to see a Broadway show (I’d never seen one before), and of course explore, eat, shop and wander in a glorious childfree fashion. The overarching bummer of the trip was the stuffy, runny cold we were both nursing. Thankfully it was nothing more than that and OK to push through. The show: Chicago Wowowow. Incredible! Of course it was, it’s Broadyway! The singing, dancing, humor. The amazing cast, most notably a 58-yr-old actress playing Roxie Hart about 4293 times better than Rene Zelleweger did in the movie when she was 32. So take that! And Mama/Mary Sunshine played by 2 amazing drag performers were so perfect for their roles I can’t accept anyone different. Exploring Top of the list for me was our chilly but sweet walk around Central Park. Nowhere makes you feel like you’re a NY local m...

Candlesticks. And a table runner. Those were the tangibles I’d been focused on. On and off for 8 years, but more intensely over the last several months, I’d been scouring the Internet for them. I lacked them. I couldn’t nail down a look that felt like me. And I needed to have them! To have an adult way to dress up our table……… for all the adult dinners we throw? Hm. Well. I found them. And I’m not going to lie, I love them. Hah! But you and I, dear reader, we know it was never about the damn candlesticks and table runner. This morning I dressed this table up for my birthday dinner later today. I love this eclectic, colorful view that feels very much like me… but wouldn’t you know, as all is well on the homefront, I care much less about this dinner view and just really want to be immersed in the giggles and fun that will surround it. I hope year 36 brings lots of those giggly fun moments, and when the routine chaos rolls in, which it of course will, I’d like to engage in ...

Ouch! Wow. Ok. That felt hard. I felt 35, for sure. Hah! Going into today I was a little less fit than I was at January’s race , but I had the knowledge from January of how the race was run and how 15 minutes in each discipline felt, which was valuable to draw from. I wanted to do a little better than my January times, of course, but given how I felt coming in I thought performing close would be more realistic. Swim Honestly, my arms were sore immediately, likely from other recent activities I’ve been up to. Halfway through I was feeling it, but settled into a strong endurance stroke I was able to keep up. I finished just the same as January–42 laps/10,052 meters. Bike This was just plain hard today! I biked 4.7 miles at 18.8mph pace last race, and was struggling to hold that today. I hovered near but below it almost the entire time, pushing a few times. I really pushed it at the end to finish at 4.5 miles/18mph. Run This indoor race was at the downtown YMCA, not the Mary Fre...

It's after dinner On a cold winter storm February night And we're on the couch in our jammies A, C and me Three bodies in a row One looks ahead--Winnie the Pooh is on The second looks ahead--Winnie the Pooh, after all, is on And me I look at them Two little profiles All bubbly curves The round forehead into the sweet bunny hill ski slope nose Dropping down to the little open lips The tiny chin Hardly separate from the lower chin/under chin/neck/tummy Lovely tiny profiles Of the lovely little people We made While watching Winnie the Pooh they're snacking Because when aren't they snacking?! It's a special snack I always want it to be a special snack I always want it to be special I always want it to be Out of the movie watching silence a sweet little sound "Here go, Coco" The "you" is gone, because it's hushed, it's rushed, Here, take this quick, I don't want to disrupt you or me from this movie 3-yr-old A...

Ahh. We’re rested, recuperated, slightly tanned and back from an A+ family winter trip to sunny Phoenix—just in time for a Michigan school snow day! This was the first escape-the-winter-blues trip we…. maybe I?... have ever taken. The original plan was to visit family who spend the winters in Phoenix, but who unfortunately had to last minute cancel their trip. We wrestled with what we should do with our flights and time off, and although our vacation looked different than initially planned, I’m so glad we flexed to make it work. Our longest family trip pre-Phoenix was a 6-hr drive to Hocking Hills . This was the first time flying for both boys, and even peppered with several weather-related airport delays, they did so well. As the parents who came before me with this type of travel suggested: you can never have too many snacks. This trip lead to a new vacation realization for me & B: the place matters. Our AirBnB was SO nice. We had more space than needed, a swanky master ...

Woo! First race of 2023 in the books. Today I competed in my local YMCA's indoor triathlon for January. This race is 1 in a series of 3. I'll compete in another at the end of Feb, and again at the end of March. My race went great! This event was time-based. 15 min swim, 5 min transition, 15 min bike, 5 min transition, 15 min run. Participants got points based on their distances in each discipline which equated to an overall score. I came in with no expectations since I have no comparables to an indoor/15-min tri, but did want to push it (per usual). Swim At the start of the swim the woman in the lane next to me was pacing slightly faster than I was comfortable with, and my competitive drive kicked in. I backed off slightly, correctly assuming I had more endurance from years of competitive swimming than she did, and ended up passing her and keeping a super strong pace. In 15 minutes I swam 42 lengths (1:26 /100 meters), which was good for 1st in my heat and 2nd overall women. Bi...

The sun (!!!) is shining, the snow is glistening and an open late-January weekend lays ahead of us. We're in a nice groove, I'm in a happy mood and not interested in rhyming anymore but do have to tell you a few things: 1. A&C on SKIs! This past weekend was our annual family ski trip up north. B and I split skiing one day each with my dad and brother while the other parent hangs back with my mom and the boys. We planned for C to ski, but newly 3-year-old A was adamant he ski too. I'm so glad we listened to him because he did AMAZING! It was an explosion of joy to see those boys on the bunny hill. The cherry on top was hearing A mid slope yell "I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" Ugh, off to cry again... see you next week. 2. This cream blush I'm sure there are other good options but I first picked up ULTA's Too Cheeky (color Mood) and am such a fan. It stays on longer than powder blush and the color is A+. 3. Translation station Oy, with the rhyming. ...

There’s the 70% of parenting–asking for the 357th time where they put their other boot, fetching the wrong snack which will cause An Issue; there’s the 25% of joy, love, fun; and then there are those moments that get you… …when you have to deliver the Ultimate Threat of separation for a brother’s sleepover that won’t simmer down, and the three year old pleads: but Coco is my best friend! …when both young boys are skiing down the bunny hill at the ski hill you learned to ski at and they yell out mid slope: I’m doing it! I’m doing it! …when the kindergarten teacher recognizes your son’s love of doing magic tricks and lets him bring in his magic hat and rabbit to do a small show for the class. Ooof. Gut punch. Emotional tears in eyes while smiling face emoji. These are the sweet-like-a-cavity moments. The I’m-not-worthy moments. The maybe-we’re-doing-something-right moments. I enjoy these moments so much when I’m welled up with love. I’m also starting to turn them over, crack th...