Hello friends; I’m so excited to sit down and chat with you again. After a slowwww January, February seemed to fly by at lightning speed. Maybe that’s just because I’ve had so much going on? Whatever the reason, February was a good month.

February was a month of travel! In fact, I’m posting this 6 hours after returning home from Solitude Mountain in Utah.

We were there as part of a travel collaboration and I can’t wait to share this gem of a spot with you. February also took me on a girls trip to Asheville and a weekend trip to New York City for an in-person meetup of my blogging mastermind group I joined this year. It was a lot of fun because David got to come with me- thanks to the incredible support of Mema who came and held down the fort with the girls while we were away.

We didn’t do much (ok, any) site seeing in New York because our time was spent mainly in meeting with the group all day, but we did get to grab a drink with one of my bffs from high school/college, Kristin, who happened to be in New York at the same time!

It was a whirlwind and a lot of fun. I really enjoyed connecting with other entrepreneurs in this space, especially two women I’ve “known” online for years, but had never met in real life: Nicole and Lindsay! It was really exciting for me since I prefer to give hugs to sending DMs. This line of work is a weird one because it can be really isolating and it’s a job that many people don’t understand, or don’t take seriously, when they hear you say “I am a blogger.” 

In our February homeschool, we rolled along with the usual, which is mostly math and language arts focused. The girls get science and history in co-op, so we tend to just dabble in it at home. Next year I’d love to really dive deep into history as a family, but don’t really know where to start. I’m thinking beginning with US history; any recommendations on resources for that venture for a (will be) 3rd and 1st grader?

We’ve been enjoying reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as our read-aloud. In the car, we’ve flown through three Ramona Quimby books on Hoopla and The Magic Tree House books 1-8 on Libby. While Hailey is familiar with The Magic Tree House books, Kaitlyn is new to them and loves the adventure in them! The Ramona books are fun for as all, as they remind me of my childhood, and the girls each identify with the big sister/little sister relationship.

We added in a Discovery Place homeschool science class which both girls really enjoyed (they built simple machines!). The kids also reveled in the special Valentine’s extras we had on our schedule. My friend Amanda hosted an adorable Valentine’s Day themed Poetry Tea Time and we also visited The Schiele Museum with our co-op to run amok and exchange valentines. I’m not a very pinteresty mom in the craft and decoration sense, but even I couldn’t resist a little tabletop decoration and sweet treats. The girls and I also baked a delicious chocolate cake with strawberry buttercream for the occasion and ate dessert for lunch everyday for the following week.

Soccer started back up for both girls, so we are back in the full swing of things with theater, American Heritage Girls, art, and tae kwon do- Kaitlyn just tested up to the next belt and is super proud of herself about it. We might be bit over-scheduled, I’ll admit, but it’s working for us right now. My mom and dad made a visit up this month and it was absolutely wonderful having them here for a weekend. Soccer was cancelled, so we just enjoyed hanging out, including a trip to the Davidson Farmers Market, a backyard bonfire, a delicious margarita and tableside guac at Cantina 1511, and of course, Ticket to Ride!

Mind if I chat a bit about my personal health? I feel like I owe you an update on the whole hormone situation. While I’m awaiting results from my latest round of blood tests to confirm my levels are still balancing out nicely, I can tell you I’m feeling really great! My current supplements are treating me well and I’ve been using Progessence Plus by Young Living for about 6 weeks now to help with my progesterone levels and it’s been a lifechanger (or a cycle changer?). Without going into too much detail, I had the most “normal” cycle, length and symptom wise, than I have in a year. I’m thrilled with the results I’m finally achieving on this hormone roller coaster. I’ve also been able to add foods on my “restricted list” back in my diet. I’m so happy with the added freedom, but based on how I feel when I eat them, I’m still keeping my distance from beans and dairy as much as I can.

I also went to the chiropractor and got another IPL face treatment, which pretty much uses up my discretionary spending for the year. Not really, but I do need to chill out on the “treat-yo-self” vibe I have going on lately. I mentioned last month about how the girls have been going to the chiro, but jealousy finally got the best of me and I booked a consultation for myself. I’m going to go through the process for at least a month before I weigh in on my experience, but I am really excited to get going on my treatment plan. I feel more aligned already (less tension in my upper back, less hip popping, etc) and I’m only two adjustments deep! 

And lastly on the health front, David and I are still really enjoying working out together. We use the Madeline Moves app, and have been for several months. I’d argue that our physical fitness levels are at a peak for both of us, which arguably may be fueled by Gnarly Preworkout, which we both love. Still, it feels good to be so consistent with exercise.

For March I’m trying something new. Well, I just started it this morning, so I shouldn’t get too proud about it yet, but saying it on here helps hold me accountable. I am going to commit to waking up and starting my day by writing down what I’m grateful for, my priorities for the day (personal and business), and working from a schedule that is laid out in hourly increments.

My goal for doing this is to create some structure in my days and focus in my mind. Ideally I’d love to add in morning quiet time for meditation and prayer, but one goal at a time, right? I’m using Nicole Culver’s Shift Planner. You can find it on Amazon if you want to see how it’s laid out. Honestly, it looked a little overwhelming to me at first, but I decided to just dive in and start filling it out. I’ll let you know how it goes!

And with that, my hour block to finish this post is up and it’s time to move onto unloading all the suitcases and commencing the laundry marathon.

Chat with me- what’s new with you? What are your goals for March? Trying anything new to shake up your routine?

Is there anything else you’d like to see included in tea talks? Recent blog posts? Best meals of the month? Links to articles I’ve read and enjoyed?