(My local Whole Foods has the prettiest flowers and they are fair trade, too.)

I didn’t plan to take last week off, but it just worked out that way. I had a touch of cedar fever and all I wanted to do at night was curl up on the couch with a mug of hot tea and watch Netflix. I binge-watched “Sing It On,” about competitive college a cappella groups, and it was weirdly fascinating. I really want to watch it again.

Blog breaks always give me time to think about what I’m writing and where I’m focusing my time. Since school started for the boys, I’ve been thinking and reading a lot about our potential move next spring. What can I say? I’m a nerd and I always prepare for things by doing research.  Ryan and I have spent too much time looking at houses in the Portland area, and the current market there is baffling. I know we’ll find a place that is right for us when the time comes, but man, it’s stressful. Some houses go on the market and sell the same week, and some sit around for months. Investors buy homes for a steal, renovate them top to bottom in three months, and then sell them for ridiculously inflated prices. And it’s common for sellers to receive multiple offers, so it’s become customary to write a “love letter” to the home owner. Hopefully we’ll have a better handle on where we want to live once Ryan visits and then we all fly out later this year.

I haven’t been working on my online store at all, and I’ve begun to feel bogged down by the prospect of it. Right now, I’m just putting things on hold indefinitely and plan to pick back up when the time is right. There’s just a lot going on at the moment, and the idea of moving my family across the country is definitely taking center stage. It’s a new experience for me, so I think it’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed.

I’ve been perusing Apartment Therapy’s new book, Complete and Happy Home, and it’s filled with gorgeous pictures, just like the site. There’s also plenty of pretension, too, just like on the site. The book explains the difference between “regular people,” who are “lazy,” and Apartment Therapy people, who willingly take on DIY projects in order to improve their homes, and by extension, their lives. I’m pretty sure I’m an Apartment Therapy person, and I enjoy decorating my home, but there’s a lot that makes me laugh out loud in this book. It’s also good for inspiration, especially as we’re looking for a new place to call home soon.

These are the things on my mind right now, and I’m a little scattered at the moment. I might take a short break from posting every now and then when things get hectic or I feel overwhelmed, but I’m still around and I’ll always come back. Thanks for sticking with me!