where are thou? I blame the bedbugs...{2017 beauty hodge-podge}

What have we been up to you ask?

1. BED BUGS ~ read about this family adventure here.

• Some day I may not see pictures of bedbugs in every article and newsfeed on my phone. I was researching how to deal with these little monsters so extensively, bedbug extermination tips and related businesses are apparently the only advertisements I will ever see again. Irritating. Salt in a wound.
• Bedbugs did not exist before the fall of man, or maybe they were more like ladybugs, but I digress...
• The above picture will soon be hanging in my laundry room. This is how I felt and how very tempted I was to crawl into an industrial dryer, click my heels and get out of OZ.

2. Oh life...

• new company for my husband 
• new classes and so much lovely learning for me 
• + so much of the every day ordinary ups and downs and messy beauty.
• Oh, and my kids are doing PARKOUR! My brother may have placed bets on how soon and how often we will see the inside of an ER and/or Urgent Care. But my youngest girl is a delight to watch ~ like she found her home planet.

3. New projects afoot...details to come, but most often you'll find me on Instagram: @literaturethreads.

• I saw an Instagram site once that said "Instagram killed my blog". I totally get it.
• But how do I love Instagram? Let me count the ways...

4. Speaking of poetry, we have been placing Poetry Tea Time into our weekly rhythms. We all love it so much. A few links for you:

• Brave Writer // @juliebravewriter & the blog
• Instagram // @poetryteatime
• Build A Path for the Soul: 12 Poems, 12 Hymns, 12 Scripture Passages 

5. With all that pulls on my heart, mind, and physical abilities, I think of how to savor my moments ~ in solitude and with my people. 

• Breathing new life into your time with God
• Why You're Off the Hook for Making Every Moment Matter

• I really enjoyed this book about Denmark this summer ~ I did not come away thinking Denmark was amazing. Like every country, it holds claim to great strengths and deep weaknesses. But still, great read.
• I most like the Danish concept/practice of Hygge. 

6. I haven't forgotten about my 300 days of beauty. I will finish, but was much too ambitious for last year. (In this post I stated that I was realistic to pick 300...delusional/optimistic might have been more accurate!)

I hope this post finds you well, encouraged and choosing hope. 

(Some pictures of our recent months...)

Soft boiled eggs and hot cocoa for breakfast...

Poetry Tea Time

It's important to buy pretty cakes sometimes.

More Poetry Tea Time with homemade maple cakes by Cece

Many nights called for sparkling cider in stemmed glassware just because.

Brother-sister sugar-cube pyramid creation

This version of audio fairy tales is just lovely...

Dinner party using only recipes from Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist.

When you don't have a fireplace, Netflix delivers. Hanging with D during a wintry cold day and loving it.

Laundromat pizza picnic (one of many)

This is how you save a table in the laundromat...evidently. No one sat here ALL DAY. I know because I was there ALL DAY.