1. discovering that I can now order my absolute favourite beauty product from Amazon now.
2. grabbing a quick catnap in the middle of the playroom floor.
3. finding things growing in unusual places.
4. keeping the house cool on a hot day.
5. getting back to my early morning exercise routine.

I watered my potted hibiscus tree today and found this fully formed mushroom growing in secret behind a rock.

1. the sounds of a beautiful day.
2. brightly coloured sidewalk art.
3. fruit trees bursting with blossoms.
4. looking forward to all of the words to come.
5. coming back to this place.

It’s been a long time. I stopped blogging when I was pregnant with my second daughter because I just couldn’t do it all any more. Something had to give, and this was it. I didn’t miss it for a long time either.

I thought I was finally ready to start again last summer, but that obviously wasn’t the case.

Until today.

Today I woke up and saw a sky that was the perfect blue with not a single cloud. After two weeks in France, being greeted by a beautiful day at your home makes the transition back from fresh croissants, good cheese, and very lax rules a little easier. Our vacation is over but I’m ready for the real world to start again. My husband went back to work, my oldest went back to school, and I’m back to my life as usual.

Instead of the usual chaotic morning after an extended break from school, everyone was dressed, fed, and ready to go with enough time to spare to walk to school for the first time since last year. On the way back, my youngest and I took the long way home, stopping to pick dandelions and point at every single bird that crossed our path. And a block from our house I was struck with this uncontrollable need to start writing here again. There was no time to think about it, no time to overthink about it. No agonizing over how to start, or what to say. I just needed to do it now.

So here I am.

1. finding the radio station from my teenage years while heading back to my parent’s house.
2. driving in a place where I don’t need to look at a map.
3. mixing coffee and condensed milk.
4. making the most of a quiet vacation night.
5. the relief of a storm after a humid day.

1. the squealing car tire that fixed itself before taking it in to the garage.
2. playing with my new-to-me camera.
3. backyard birthday parties.
4. spending time with people I love.
5. staying up later than usual and not because of the children.

1. the birth of our second child.
2. moving to a new city.
3. being close to family again.
4. celebrating our baby’s first birthday.
5. starting to blog again.