Dana Burland

If the start of my garden this year was a metaphor, like gardens often are, take a look and see what it tells you. What you see here is beautifully thriving crabgrass. It’s doing SO well this year. I’m sure other gardeners are jealous. Ha! The start of this year’s garden is wildly weed-y. And I even spent a while pulling the big weeds a week before this pic was taken. Also present is a strawberry plant I put in a too-shady spot that’s only produced one berry, choked out rosemary, a singular small basil plant, heavy and droopy snap peas which are doing great but completely overshading the green beans below, two tomato plants–one that looks like it might do something the other not so much, and cucumbers beginning to go berserk. Honestly, I’m not that into the garden this year. It’s fun to have there, I’m happy for whatever it does, but I’m a very rare visitor. More valuable is our new community pool membership–the spot where we go multiple nights during the week to “picnic and poo...

Look how big our littlest is! Two and a half today! It truly feels like he’s always been here in this form: silly, spunky and smart–picking up on everything his big brother does. At two and a half A is wise and opinionated, he’s curious and bold, he also fiercely loves his home and his family. So much of his tiny baby days are locked in a dark vault in my mind. He arrived 4 weeks early, had some twisty tummy trouble that led to weeks of newborn colicky screaming, and when I tried to climb out of the newborn haze and head back to work COVID hit and put me in a tailspin of literally guarding my family with my life. A is my little wonder. HOW did we make it out of that to this marvelous, thriving, rosy cheeked boy? (His big bro C loves to giggle and say “A, you have rosy cheeks!”) Kids are resilient, and A is definitely that. I can see some “COVID-baby” tendencies in him–he’s a harsh critic of new places, he wants confirmation we’re going to all be together. Also, he loves driving hi...

That’s a wrap on my 2nd sprint triathlon! Yesterday was race day, and it went really great. I truly loved my 8 week training for this event. It kept me focused, challenged and with a nice variety of swim/bike/run, speed/hills/endurance. I was consistently working hard, consistently going beyond what I thought I could do. In a lot of ways the training itself was gratifying enough. I was more nervous for this race than I think I ever have been to compete in anything. I don’t really know why the nerves were SO high. Open water swimming is scary for me, I don’t like not being able to see the bottom or battle waves, but I’m a strong swimmer nonetheless. I’m proficient on a bike, even though I still ride a clunky old mountain bike. I’m a confident runner. I think the enormity of all three together, fast and frantic transitions and knowing this isn’t just a weekend 5K you roll out of bed for contributed to it. Also, I really wanted to beat my time from 6 years ago . The Swim It was very ...

Omg. We did it. Maybe you remember a year and a half ago I embarked on a project to replace our neighborhood signs ? The project is finally DONE*. This project was rough. Wait, let me be honest… it was horrific. First there was the fundraising, then shopping around for options with local companies. I sought neighborhood input on designs several times along the way. And people have opinions. We have two entrances to our neighborhood and signs at each. This meant our raised money had to cover both, which was tricky. Also, there was a surprising point of contention around if our two signs should be labeled for each entrance “East” and “West”. I heard YES–we need this to more easily identify/get around; and NO–we’re already divided enough as is. Huh. Ultimately neighbors landed on yes, denote the orient. I had a really hard time finding a company to work with. One company I went back and forth with 50+ times before ultimately deciding to go elsewhere. Another company we nearly ...

After a speedy and destructive 2 weeks, we’re sitting on the other side of our big home construction projects. Boy does it feel good. The house looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g. We love how clean, durable and forgiving the new floors are–and that they run through (almost) the entire main level of the house. Our kitchen backsplash turned out perfectly. The new vanities and bathrooms look great! There are a couple minor touch ups still in progress, but we’re 98% done. Now we get to enjoy it. 

Wahoo! Big, BIG home projects are going on over here. We’re replacing almost all the flooring on the main level of our house, which spiraled to include new bathroom vanities, which spiraled to include a backsplash replacement, which opened the door for new under cabinet lighting, which is absolutely positively where the list needs to end (but will it?!). The carpet and tile will turn to luxury vinyl plank. The vanities will become newer versions. The new backsplash will be small, marble herringbone tiles. Future State:    Right now just about everything is gone. We’re down to the subfloors and drywall. Layers of design choices past have been unearthed. Little surprises have bubbled up and needed resolve. It’s all been par for the home construction course. C has been excited by the work– WHAT?! A big garbage trailer on the driveway!? WHAT?! They threw our bathroom sink away!? When I explained to him his room was staying the same, but I needed to borrow a little space to st...

Waving hello to you from under a heated blanket with chlorine wet hair and perma-sore legs. There’s been a lot of swimming, biking and running going on in my world lately. I’m training for a triathlon! I’m just entering week 3 of an 8 week training plan, and feeling the burn for sure. I decided my 35th birthday gift to myself would be registration for the sprint event of the Grand Rapids Triathlon. I first, and last, did this event in 2016 . Six years and two kids ago for anyone counting. (I’m definitely counting.) I’ve been in need of a good personal challenge. Maybe a bit in need of visiting the pre-kid version of myself, too, and remembering I’m no less capable, strong, determined and excited in 2022 than I was in 2016. Training so far is going… swimmingly! (Sorry) It’s a lot, for sure. I’ll swim for about 45 minutes, either over lunch break on a day I’m working from home or during nap time on weekends. I’ll bike for 45-60+ minutes–sometimes at 5am at the YMCA, sometimes ou...