Simple Things #20

Here are five magically mundane things I've noticed this week...

Hello friends! I say that because you truly do feel like a community of my friends. I’ve been sharing my newsletters through Substack (the platform I use) for over 6 months now, and I’ve never felt a stronger online community in my life. I’m grateful for each and every one of you.

This week’s Simple Things includes some personal excitement, as well as a note on last night’s full moon & a share of one of my current favorite newsletters. I hope you enjoy!

1. My husband, Matt, has been SO supportive of me as I’ve been writing consistently this year and growing my photography business (on the side of my actual job and raising our baby). My 30th birthday is coming up in September, and he surprised me yesterday with an early gift. THE early gift. A new iMac (and it’s PINK!). I’ve been talking about getting one for years to edit photos and write on, but just never went for it myself. I always said they were too expensive and I didn’t really need one when I have a perfectly fine laptop. It arrived yesterday and he was so excited, he couldn’t wait until my birthday. I was SHOCKED. So surprised and never in a million years did I think he would get that for me. I truly am so grateful for him. It’s not even about the computer as much as it is about the fact that he believes in me so much.

2. Remember when I said we’d started autumn cleaning? Well, as of today we have finally finished the cleaning! We hit that typical halfway done phase where I hate life and don’t want to do anything anymore, then when my computer arrived yesterday it kicked my butt in gear to finish going through everything. Matt cleared out the room we were using for storage so I can have an actual office, and we just drove the final load to the storage unit we now have to store all our extras until we have a bigger space. I am sooo glad it’s over, and man does it feel good to have so much clutter removed from our home.

3. As I was logging on to write this post, I realized I hit 700 subscribers here on Substack this morning. As I said before, I am so insanely grateful for all of you who took the time to subscribe and read my posts. I truly put my heart into everything I write, and there’s no better feeling than when it resonates with someone else. I’m brainstorming hard on different offerings I can share throughout this next season, and I’m so glad you’re along for the ride.

4. Last night’s blue moon was BEAUTIFUL. Were you able to see it? I walked the dogs around 8:30 and she was shining in her full glory. So magical. I tried to get a picture but my phone can never do it justice. Speaking of the moon, I found this Instagram account today that literally took my breath away.

5. I’ve been following Barrett from

   Barrett and The Boys
   for a few years now over on Instagram. A few months ago, she shared that she, her husband, and their three boys were moving from Los Angeles to Turin, Italy! And as of 48 hours ago, they’ve finally made it to their new home. I’ve been loving following along with their move, and can’t wait to see their journey unfold in Italy. Here’s her most recent post about the flight over and packing for all of it. (Plus tips for traveling with a toddler!) I have a feeling they’ll be sharing some incredible Italian recipes on her Substack soon, too.

And there you have it! I’d love to know what magically mundane thing you’ve experienced this week that has brought you joy.