Mr. Magpie has gotten into a habit of getting everything he needs for the morning routine ready the night before. He’ll lay out the children’s plates and cups, the cereal canister, coffee-making gear, blender for the smoothie. He’ll even prep the fruit so all he has to do is portion it out in the morning. I have not yet made the leap to this level of preparation, but I can see the payoff from afar: the mornings run far more smoothly and the children are ready much earlier on the days he gets up with them. (We trade off on the morning routine responsibility: two days on, two days off. Whoever is on an “off day” will sleep in a bit and then drive the kids to school, which in turns enables the “on” parent to dive straight into exercise, or relax for a bit, before the workday begins.) Mr. Magpie has also programmed our garage door to open at 7:40 a.m. each morning, and has the car automatically start at the same time, so it’s warm when we get in. He is a true engineer, always looking for efficiencies. (Why go through the same steps every day if there’s a way to automate or streamline?) These thoughts would literally never occur to me as a born and bred humanities gal. I’m out with the lanterns, looking for the stories in the schedule.
I was thinking about this more generally, and thought– maybe I’m not going to be as efficient as Landon on a daily basis, but could I do a few things on Sunday that might help me find more ease in my week? I don’t feel I’m sufficiently strategic about this, as Mondays can feel like a breathless catch-up session as I tackle emails, admin, chores I’ve put on hold over the weekend. Then I come up for air at 1 in the afternoon and have that discomfiting feeling that my day has not yet started, and it’s about to end, as I’ll be heading off to pick up the kids in an hour and a half. When I experience this, I remind myself: “This, too, is the job.” Meaning — all the household admin, all the ordering of uniforms and gifts and shoes the next size up, all the responding to invitations and filing of medical forms and scheduling of appointments, all the laundry and switching of sheets — are part of the job. They are not getting in the way of my tasks. They are not interruptions to my life. They are a steady, core component of the work. And so I need to treat them like any other part of my job, and see their meatiness and especially the effort that goes into handling them. They are not nothing. When I am feeling frayed at the onslaught of micro-tasks, I remind myself: do small things with great love, even these monotonous mini responsibilities that are largely invisible to my children but that also enable our house to run. This, too, is the job.
Still. I was wondering if my strategic Magpies had any Sunday rituals that reset for the week such that Mondays feel a bit less muddy. On occasion, I sit at my desk on Sunday afternoons to clear my inbox and handle certain repetitive tasks related to the blog, and it always feels like I’m starting Monday ahead of the game. It’s not always practical or — more importantly, I think — in line with my priorities to get this done on Sunday, but it does feel lovely when it happens. I will say that on Monday mornings (and most mornings of the week, but especially the ones where I am intentionally clipping into a creative headspace), I am devoted to reading something inspiring that will set the emotional or intellectual tone for the week. I usually sit with some poetry when I get to my desk on Monday morning; sometimes I open my anthology to a random page and read whatever the day presents (a small and satisfying gambit!), but I also return to a few pieces that invariably draw me out and onto the page: Rita Dove’s “Dawn, Revisited”, Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things,” any Mary Oliver, William Carlos Williams’ “Of Asphodel,” any section of Edith Hamilton’s “Mythology,” Seamus Heaney (poetry, but also his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, which makes me feel all the things), F. Scott Fitzgerald short fiction, Margaret Renkl essays, Patti Smith’s essay on failure (which I wrote about here). This kind of reading, which I’ve elsewhere described as “an energy multiplier,” is essential to my craft, but it’s also a determined weekly ritual. Perhaps Monday morning reading is more core to my “weekly reset” than I’d previously thought.
When I posed this question about “the Sunday reset” on Instagram, I was interested to learn that most of us use Sunday for laundry, meal prep, and other tasks that make the week feel more “grab and go,” while a small but vocal minority of us insist that Sundays are not for “getting a head start on the week” and instead for resetting internally through rest and quiet. One of you wrote: “On Sundays, I focus on me. Mondays will always arrive.” (Wow!) And another (mother of four!) wrote: “I do nothing on Sunday. Mondays are for resetting.” This stopped me in my tracks. Perhaps I have been thinking about this all wrong; maybe my Mondays aren’t “slow starts,” but my implicitly chosen days for admin. Maybe I’ve been using the weekends for other purposes, and that’s OK. I’ve never been intentional about this, though; it’s been a de facto arrangement. So it feels good to call it out and see how I feel about this division of the use of my time. Does it reflect my priorities?
Related, I am thinking of something a Magpie reader told me a few years ago: “You can start a new 24 hour period at any time.” As in, you don’t need to wait until dawn to start over. Same is true of the week. You can start a new seven day period at any time. So maybe your “Monday” is what most people consider “Sunday.” Or some other configuration. It’s all fungible!
I should call out the obvious here: there are many women who have no choice but to stack admin on Sundays, whether because they work or travel during the week, or because they are home with little babies and do not have the bandwidth to take on these tasks while a partner or spouse is not in the home on weekdays! So, there is an implicit privilege in being able to choose how and when to handle these things–but we all do handle them. (I want to also mention that one Magpie who lives abroad said it’s not possible to “reset” for the week in the typical ways outlined above, because groceries and other stores aren’t open; it would be considered rude to call to schedule appointments; etc. Fascinating to think about that!)
Anyhow, below, I’m dividing up the suggestions into two categories; you pick which one you belong to, or maybe cherry pick a few from each! It’s possible to dabble in both; one of you wrote: “I prioritize laundry only and try to enjoy the weekend.” This has been my mode, too, even though I’ve not been as clear-headed about it as she has. I, too, try to have all the laundry done, folded, and put away by Sunday evening, but rarely do anything else for the week on the weekend.
What would you add to either or both of these lists?
Farmer’s market/grocery (some also have groceries delivered or do curbside pick up)
Iron everything for the week – uniforms, work clothes, etc
Quick clean-out of fridge
Clean out my purse and car!
Fill car with gas
Sunday Rituals: Resetting Internally through Rest.
Take a walk
Go to bed early / get a good night’s sleep
Skincare/grooming
Read, pamper, rest — “Monday will always arrive”
Post-Scripts.
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+Kitchen above is not ours! It was at the gorgeous rental home we stayed at last weekend in Dickerson, MD, and it belongs to a Magpie reader! It’s on a property with active horse stables — the children loved checking for horses (and farm dogs!) while we were there. We went skiing at White Tail for one of the days; it’s about an hour from the mountain. Here is a link to the rental if you’re curious!
+The books that give us new sky. Currently reading and loving this; next in my TBR pile are two heavily recommended books from fellow Magpie readers: Chris Whitaker’s All the Colors of the Dark and Amanda Peters’ The Berry Pickers. Both of these have been mentioned in the same breath as The God of the Woods, which I know many of you enjoyed (as did I, although there were some really provocative comments on my review post that made me think more deeply about the structurally confusing and problematic ending).
Shopping Break.
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+I have and adore this caftan in a green color, but the new lilac is spectacular. Also loving this pintucked white dress and the new husband shirts (SO chic tucked into white jeans or worn open over a swimsuit — very breathable, airy, light fabric) from the brand. (15% off with JEN-15.)
+My daughter loves her Wetbrush for detangling and I just saw they did a collab with LoveShackFancy at Target. The sweetest patterns. Perfect Easter basket filler! They also have a paddle brush style. LSF also teamed up with Goody to release the sweetest hair ties and clips but they seem sold out online – check your local store.
+I just received a mailer for AYR with a coupon code — 15% off with BESTBUDS — in case you want to snag on of those early morning tees we all love so much. My best friend brought hers on our little getaway last weekend and was, of course, raving about it. It fills such an unknown void in a wardrobe — part tee, part sweatshirt!
+Another unknown wardrobe void filler: this sweatshirt cardigan I have not stopped wearing since receiving last week. I love it as a top layer over athletic wear / athleisure for carpool on those mornings where it’s a tad chilly but not too bad? Love. I am usually an XXS in Varley (tends to run big) but I took an XS in this because they were sold out in the XXS, and the fit is great! Not too baggy! I also noticed this $20 Target terry cardigan — similar idea but more cropped. Love that pink color.
+Eyeing this tank and these leggings for spring fitness.
+I know it may seem early to be shopping sandals, but these wrap ones are absolutely gorgeous on (I own in rose napa and they’re a great nude; the saddle leather ones are iconic and remind me of the Hermes brown leather they use for their sandals) and sell out every year. Grab yours now! I love these for sundresses. VERY comfortable.
+New to me brand Ruti sent me some of these on-trend barrel/gaucho pants, similar to Nili Lotan’s popular Shons but MUCH more petite-friendly. They are INCREDIBLY comfortable – like, a ton of stretch, and therefore great “writing jeans.” I’ve become increasingly intolerant of rigid denim for daytime; I am sitting for far too often! Life is too short to wear uncomfortable jeans all day long. This reminds me of college — there was this denim boutique called “Judy B’s” (fellow Wahoos may remember it) and the people that worked there were so mean! Ha! But one of them once told my friend, when she complained about how uncomfortable a pair of jeans was: “Well, these are standing only jeans.” I’ve never forgotten that. I think I’m beyond the “standing only” jean styles…at least for day!
+This everyday dress has been a bestseller the past few days — lots of Magpie love — so resharing before it sells out.
+I’ve been using this glowy skin primer/SPF the past week and am hooked. It’s great for those mornings you don’t have time or don’t want to put on makeup but want a touch of coverage/color/glow/spf. They just sent me a 20% off code — JEN20. I’ve also been using this undereye cream, which I like because it’s highly tinted, so it provides a touch of coverage or maybe color correction along with the skincare, which is nice.
01. Gorgeous spring floral dress. I can’t tell you how much I loved getting my daughter dressed in pieces like these when she was younger. Now it’s hard to get her out of athleisure!
02. A cute athletic dress in a great shell pink color – on sale for $12.
03. These raffia shoes from Spanish brand Pepe are wildly expensive but I had to include them here because – omg. For boys, for girls!
I also wanted to mention that I did a deep dive to find my daughter a First Communion dress! A few gorgeous options I found: this peter pan collar dress, this smocked beauty (my personal top pick), this La Coqueta, and this J. Crew. My daughter picked this one out of the options presented! Simple and sweet.
For shoes, I loved these but they were too fussy for Emory. I also like these, these, these.
We are going to do a fresh flower crown along with a bunch of the other girls in my daughter’s class, but this pretty dried flower option would be great, too. And then of course a sweet pair of cross earrings!
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A little Thursday morning eye candy to usher in the spring season ahead. Above: my new Pam Munson clutch, my Celine sunnies (on super sale — 30% off! Arg, wish I’d waited!), sweaters from Pistola and La Ligne. Below, a spring moodboard —
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I’ve been wearing a ton of pastel recently and then I woke up in the mood for red. The heart wants what it wants! Above, wearing Splendid’s popular Angie pants (super comfortable and lots of great colors available; the crop length version meant I didn’t need to tailor/hem — Quince has a good look for less here), La Ligne’s mini Marin sweater, Celine sunnies (this particular style is great on small faces), and an Altuzarra straw tote from last season, which is still available in white or black but not the multi-color. This bag has gotten so much mileage. It is a perfect oversized shape — carries everything.
Perhaps the element I like most in this outfit: my Mary Oliver poetry book. Exceptional morning reading. I’d just written the line “is there anything more felicitous than a daffodil stem?” for this post the morning prior, and then came across her line from the poem “Spring” in this book, where she is describing a pair of flickers and writes: “How lightly, altogether, they accept / the great task, of carrying life / forward!”
Anyway, a few finds and launches that turned my head today, all in flame red —
02. Cuyana’s double loop satchel! OMG, I love her so much. The design is interesting but the style and shape are super functional. Sits upright, holds a laptop, etc. I love it paired with red, but it’d go with anything really.
03. Everything from Posse, but especially this red linen gilet. This brand is just totally speaking to me right now. It’s like a more flirty version of Veronica Beard — still tailored, but with a dash more whimsy.
04. J. Crew new arrivals, captioned with the slogan: “Preppy gone sexy.” I especially like this button-up sweater, this laminated barn coat, and these “camp” jeans. You might recall I bought those in a khaki color — the fit is amazing. Run slightly big. They also released a fun version of the boat shoe that is trending at the moment.
06. I still wear my La Ligne Mini Marins all the time (I own in red, blue, and a olive/black stripe). The perfect slightly cropped length for a front-tuck situation. I love it paired with the brand’s Colby pants! This is exactly what I wore to a Christmas party this year with heels and big earrings but would also look really fresh layered over a gray tee with loafers, as seen above. Not available in red, but J. Crew has a great pair of pants that many Magpies have raved about that achieve a similar look (bonus: available in petite inseams!). I love the olive green.
07. OK, items 7 and 8 in the above collage are parts of the same coin. These jelly style shoes were very popular last summer and I predict will be back in full force this summer as well. The shoes on the right (that launched the trend) are from The Row, and cost around $800. You can get the look for less with these $50 Jeffrey Campbells or these $19 Old Navys. I wore these $140 jellies from Ancient Greek all last summer and they are currently 25% off at Bloomingdale’s. Suprisingly comfortable — the plastic doesn’t cut up your foot at all.
Today is my daughter’s eighth birthday. Each time I say the number “eight,” I feel my throat constrict. And yet time continues to roll away, unbothered by my heart’s stirrings. Just yesterday, she was squawking in the bassinet next to me in our first home, in Chicago, Illinois. The March trees outside the window of her nursery were stick figure versions of themselves, while we were full and busy together inside. Emory had such alert eyes, even just a few days old. She was observant, wondrous–just as she is now, and has been at every phase of her young life. Nothing passes her notice. We will be at a restaurant and she’ll lean over and say, “That boy at the table next to us was in my weeklong summer camp three years ago,” or I’ll mention in passing that she used to be prone to carsickness, and she’ll trot out a lucid memory from years ago, remembering the exact moment she got sick in the car, where we were going, what she was wearing, what her father said. When I ask, “How did you remember that?!,” she likes to remind me: “Memory and Emory rhyme!”, as if her way of being was hardwired into her name. Which, I think, it was. Landon and I agonized over her name. We wanted a name that sounded like it belonged to a woman of substance. Landon would ask, “Could you see the letters ‘CEO’ beneath that name in an email signature?” And so we tried: “Emory Shoop, CEO?” and it gelled. Not that being an executive automatically confers “woman of substance” virtues, but that — we wanted her name to feel big enough to hold outsized dreams. And just this year we discovered that her middle name, Lucia, has a profound hidden meaning — that it somehow bears a signature of her spirit, too.
Emory at seven days old
I am sitting here today, torturing myself: did I adequately treasure her at seven years old? With her sardonic humor and wavy hair and teeth growing in too-big? Did I sufficiently soak up the way she sprints off to the school building, her backpack dwarfing her frame? Did I nurture her love of graphic novels and Squishmallows and snap peas and popcorn? Did I stand in the doorway frequently enough to love on the way she sprawls out on her carpet every night, dutifully writing in her journal? Today, and all days, I must remind myself not to worry: I carry all of her ages inside, even the ones from that blurry first fledgling year of motherhood, in which we were both born.
Happy birthday, Emory. I’m lucky to carry every version of you.
Below: Emory’s first year — wow. The trip of a lifetime.
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I own almost every single one of the everyday sweaters below. These are the ones I reach for week in and week out. You’ll notice several repeated brands in this list, but I have to say I think Alice Walk wins the “most worn” award in my daily life. Something about the designs, softness, silhouettes makes them compulsively wearable. They sent me this new cashmere cardigan earlier this month and I wore it the first four days in a row after I opened the package. Dreamy soft (not a hint of scratchiness), the perfect proportions (loose enough to layer over a base knit, hits at a perfect spot on the hip), and great colors (I have the toast color). But if you’re new to this brand, I cannot extol the virtues of their cotton weekender more. It’s a divinely soft, stretchy knit cotton (not itchy or stiff in the least) and it layers perfectly over a basic tee and jeans. You’ll want to live in it, I promise. I own in two colors and can’t say enough good things about it. It’s also a great buy because you can wear now, obviously, but it’s also the perfect top layer for a chilly spring or summer night, boat day with heavy wind, breezy afternoon on the beach, etc.
09. Navy cashmere turtleneck from Sold Out NYC. (15% off with MAGPIE15). Has the perfect featherweight/feather-soft feel.
10. This soft pink Tuckernuck classic — comes in other colors too! Perfect for spring. (See me in it here, along with a few other statement cardigans in pastels.)
11. J. Crew cotton cardigan — their heritage cotton is great now through summer. Part of my fisherman cottage core moment (see me wearing it here).
“A good month, March, with February blowing out the back door and spring waiting at the front. A good month for change.” – Joanne Harris
I loved some of the small changes you shared a few weeks ago in response to my prompt: “What’s one small change you’ve made in 2025?” Some of them were not so small, in fact. (We are cheering you on, Rachel!) But if you’ve been waiting for a prompt to start or stop something, or even take one tiny half-step forward, here it is: the dawn of March; chapter three of twelve. This is where the plot gets good.
It is also where we notice, as I did this morning, those brave daffodil sprouts making their way through the litter of leaves in the garden beds in the front yard. Is there anything more felicitous than a daffodil stem after months of flexing cold fingers in pockets and stamping numb feet against the earth? Its green is so generous; its determined rise almost unbearably sanguine. I want to push the leaves away from their tender stalks, but then I know they are hardier than they look, and everything is progressing as it should without my tampering hands.
Anyway, March. We are all in for your thaw.
What are your themes this month? I was writing at my desk with no lights on this morning — just the sunlight that filters through the window, which is not sufficient to fill the entire space, but I like it that way for my morning warm-up. It gives me the impression that I’m shooting from the hip. I don’t need to be precious or perfect with my words. I just let the pen do what it wants in the dim. As I wandered, I found myself drawn to that question: what are my themes for the month?
Some of these are self-explanatory, I trust, but let me elaborate on two. “Actually I do have the time” — I am borrowing this from a mantra by my friend Aubrey: “Actually, life is beautiful and I do have the time.” I have found this to be the most helpful fingerhold this week. I am hurrying, I am feeling the usual push and pull of too many things on my plate, and I am inwardly chastising myself for stopping to look at the daffodils or laying on the mat in our home gym for a few minutes after finishing my workout. My inner manager: “Jen, move it.” My inner maker: “Actually, I do have the time.” A life where I can’t give myself a few minutes for a silent shavasana or a quick study of the auspiciousness of a daffodil bud (which is actually, as Mary Oliver made the case on my occasions, the same thing as praying) — no. I do not want that life. Actually I do have the time.
And “the crumbs I’ll miss”: I snapped a photo of my son last weekend (below), and as I was editing it, I noticed the ring of crumbs around his mouth — truthfully, his natural state. He is five and still I find myself wiping yogurt and chocolate from him daily. But as I looked at that photo, and at his sweet daffodil face, I thought: “One day I’ll miss those crumbs.” One day, and I don’t know when it will happen — it will be one of those invisible thefts of motherhood — I’ll realize “oh, he takes care of that himself now.” And I’ll miss those crumbs, those years of him still needing me to take care of him in that way. So I am noticing the crumbs, and the arch way my daughter looks when telling a funny story, and their tiny, perfect forms just as they are right now, and I am holding them to the light.
+A good time to buy outdoor furniture — al fresco dining season is not too far out! We love this teak dining table (this is the exact one we have), and it’s currently 25% off! (And you can refresh your seating with this chic set of navy cushions with white piping!)
+This sweet clutch is on its way to me for spring. I adore her! I can’t wait to coordinate with all my favorite butter yellow pieces. Imagine with my cashmere tee and Doen skirt! Spring loading.
+New Zara discoveries: this denim cape shirt, this Alaia-vibes laser cut faux suede shirt (! — I’d wear over a white tee with white jeans and brown suede flats), and these nearly-sold-out flats.
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I have been wearing and loving my new quilted, dramatic-collared jacket from Loeffler Randall. The perfect amount of whimsy. For those who have asked: I find this jacket runs big (I took an XXS, and it’s still roomy; I’m typically an XS). If you like the look but want something a little less expensive, try this Anthro in a fun gingham or this $39 Amazon steal.
A few other great coats and jackets for the transition to spring:
+For denim jackets, I’m noticing options that are belted or nipped at the waist. Love this Everlane and this Ulla Johnson.
+A trench is always a good idea. I’ve been getting a lot of wear out of my Mango, but am also drawn to the unbelted option from Sezane. I like how the European and Scandi women style them with straw basket bags in the spring. Inspo below. I also love when chic peas wrap a sweater around their trench shoulders — more inspo below!
I’ve been writing about summer lately. The first kiss of 62 degree weather will do that to you; you remember, all at once, the matchless feeling of sun-warmed skin. My mind immediately swims to the beginning of July, when the languid heat of the Midatlantic summer has unpacked and put away its suitcases: it has settled in, with no plans to leave, and it is hot and still. Around that time of year, the fireflies in our trees are a glittering marvel. We walk outside once the sun has set and gape at the majestic display while swatting mosquitos, tumblers of rose sweating in our palms. The flagstone path to our front door is still-warm from the day’s sun; the night sky is not yet black. We are barefoot and unwinding. Everything, including Mother Nature, is lazy and loose. And in front of us, thousands of tiny winged creatures improvise a light show for about seven consecutive nights between late June and early July, after which I suppose they die in great numbers? But what a life, anyway: built to shine. Effortless, ecstatic streaks in a dark world. Of course, we show up nightly for their frontyard performance.
I realized as I wrote this paragraph that this particular tradition has become one of my favorite seasonal rituals. It is, truly, magic — the fireflies exist in such unbelievable numbers; you wouldn’t believe it. There are thousands and thousands glowing in sequence, like a silent set of fireworks, or a abrupt visual morse code cluing me into the vastness of the ecosystem around me.
This made me wonder – what are your some of your treasured off-beat seasonal rituals? I’m talking things like “The Nutcracker Lounge” (scroll down) one of our Magpies shared with us last year — the narrow and hyper-local ways we mark the change in seasons. Maybe it’s gathering peaches from your uncle’s peach tree, or canning fruit with your grandmother, or planting the spring garden. Maybe it’s the swimming of the horses in Chincoteague, or tapping trees for maple syrup. Whatever it is, would you share? Sometimes I feel we are so disconnected from the natural world and its mountainous and minute rhythms. I’d love to celebrate the ways we still connect with our turn around the sun.
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+You all loved this denim shirt last week — resharing here and also offering a look for less. I LOVE denim on denim — try it! Matching washes gives a polished look, but mixed can also work well.
+Gap has some great new arrivals — this barn jacket feels like Doen but less $$, this denim dress is reminiscent of La Ligne, and I love all the color options for these barrel jeans — especially the khaki!
+Related to the khaki-colored jeans: I was just looking at Ulla Johnson’s spring collection and loved all the utility-inspired colors/pieces, like these statement jeans, this jacket, and this skirt. I’d urge you to consider the jacket. A statement jacket like the Ulla can do a lot of work for you during this transitional period. I just got my Loeffler Randall jacket late last week and it completely transforms my uniform of a white tee and jeans.
+We’re getting to the time of year where this becomes my friend top layer over athleisure / jeans / etc for casual wear. Love the silhouette, colors, stripes, etc. A perfect sweatshirt. I have in two colors and gave to my mother and MIL.
+It’s going to be a skirt-heavy season for me this spring. I’ve already been styling my Doen skirt, but I also ordered this pretty linen skirt in ecru. Will look SO polished with brown leather sandals, a white tee, and a straw bag.
+ICYMI: Hill House did a big drop two weeks ago and I’m especially into this green pattern in either this style or this one. Selling out!
+CUTE Target find. Love several of the colors! The green especially!
+I love statement earrings — often wear chunky gold ones — but on days where I one something lower key, my two go-tos are these Luciens from Dorsey and these delicate crossover huggies from Dana Rebecca.
By: Jen Shoop
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Meandering thoughts from the week —
I’ve been keeping this photo of myself at five on my desk. I originally thought she would remind me of how far I’ve come — an invitation to practice gratitude and astonishment on a regular basis — but she mainly tells me to give myself grace (I would never talk to five year old Jen the way I talk to 40 year old Jen), and tap into easy joys. How good it feels to stretch your arms; a full mug of coffee on my desk. Highly recommend putting a photo of yourself as a child on your desk and seeing what shakes out.
Something else I’ve been keeping on my desk: this post-it note that reads “Strive to be the lowest heart rate in the room.” I would do well to etch this onto every surface available to me. A cue to slow down and not rush through the life I’ve always dreamed of. I wrote more about this here, and the message has gotten a lot of shares on Instagram, too. I think a lot of us need this nudge, but I really needed it this week, and, frankly failed at it more than I succeeded. I was sprinting through the week. Too much pawing at my pockets; the margins too thin. I cried big, satisfying tears at one point, and it’s been a minute since I’ve done that. But that’s OK. In life, we will make mistakes. We must be like the fox — make more tracks than necessary — and practice resurrection.
One of the highlights of the week: my daughter asked to go to the bookstore. We took them to Politics and Prose and permitted them to pick one book apiece. In consultation with the friendly, knowledgeable staff there, she selected a new graphic novel which she in turn read six times in a row over the course of 24 hours. My son curiously chose a paint by sticker book, which I initially attempted to deter, but — eh. It’s OK. He has been really into reading these enormous encyclopedia-style books on dinosaurs, animals, sealife, etc, at home (current favorites: this and this) so maybe he just wanted something to play with. I need to capture this moment in action, but lately, my children have been coming to the breakfast table with books and propping them open to read while they eat. It’s so charming to see his tiny five year old form schlepping an enormous book and poring over the animal images (“mama, did you know this frog is poisonous?”) while he drips milk onto its pages.
Another (edible) highlight of the week: Landon made choux au craquelin using this Chef Steps recipe with the children. It took multiple days and a lot of work, and they were outrageously delicious. My favorite moment: we dispatched our children to bring a couple of the choux over to our neighbors, and I watched them from my front stoop as they communicated the instructions we had told them to pass along (i.e., “refrigerate if not eating tonight!”). There are two specific moments in motherhood that never cease to delight me: first, watching my children eat a full plate of food (I can’t explain it – hangover from not being able to produce enough milk to feed my children on my own and needing to supplement with formula? It is so deeply satisfying to me; I could watch their bird mouths forever!) and second, observing them doing a small thing independently, and working hard to do it the right way.
This week, I did not feel like I had the time to exercise, but I forced myself to do it a la the inspo “whenever you feel like you have no time to exercise, you need it the most,” and it gave me the best temporary sensation of slowing time and taking up space in my day. I usually do Sherica Holmon’s cycling videos (available on Apple Fitness) and she almost always says, at the beginning, “the next twenty minutes are just for you — so let go of what’s on your mind and take this time for you.” OK, Sherica!
Below: motivating myself to “just move the dirt” by wearing a pea tendril green, brand new fitness outfit (this one from Spanx – top here, bottom here, and a Beyond Yoga tank beneath; I think my code SHOOPXSPANX gets you 10 or maybe 15% off at Spanx).
After: the satisfying moment in which I put an “x” through the day to indicate I worked out. I’m proud of myself this month: I worked out more days than I didn’t. I find this visual very motivating. (Completion desire is real!) I had a few questions about this beautiful little desk calendar via Instagram. It’s from my favorite paper company, Appointed, but sadly sold out. Something like this would be a good (an inexpensive!) sub.
Finally, a moment of true rest at the end of last weekend: Landon and I playing our favorite board game over cocktails (Landon made Pink Ladies; aren’t they gorgeous, strutting around with that heavy lip of egg white foam?). One of the many reasons I love playing games is that it reminds me that I don’t need to fill every moment with something. I am often waiting for Landon to complete his turn, and I sit quietly and let my mind wander, or be empty. A surprisingly good way to practice slowing down.
OK, Magpies – into the new week. Shake a leg.
Sunday Shopping Poetry.
In this collage, want to make a little plug for my Rothy clogs (seen below). I absolutely love them. They have a sole that is suitable for outdoors but I mainly wear at home (or to slip on to take out garbage / run to the mailbox / etc). They have this arch support thing that feels like a massage on your instep. Sometimes I put them on and audibly sigh. I LOVE THEM.
*I have several products in this category that I love and alternate between. This one is new to me (I discovered it via Julia Berolzheimer, who was wearing nothing else on her face but this and looked like a radiant queen) but I routinely use the RMS SuperSerum primer to blend in with my foundation as well, and I also love the Iris and Romeo “Weekend Skin” which is sort of similar to both of these — probably the lightest-weight of the three.
By: Jen Shoop
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+HOW TO MAKE YOUR LIFE MORE WHIMSICAL: A friend of mine sent me this carousel of things women do to add whimsy to their lives, and I was deeply charmed. Basically — small ways to have fun with yourself, to make inside jokes with yourself. Time alone increases steadily as we age; it’s always a good idea to make friends with yourself.
+THE LEAST ROMANTIC THING ABOUT LOVE: I absolutely loved this post from Laura Fenucci. How achingly true! Another unromantic thing that is also deep proof of love: someone showing you patience when you’re at your worst. It also reminded me in general of our conversation about what marriage is — a lot of things, and at a wide variety of different volumes.
+SPEAKING OF…Inslee and I have done a few reprints of our Marriage Is print and are running low on our most recent one in case you’re interested in buying! This has been far and away our bestseller. We recently sold out of “Green Flags,” and the cardinal in that one has a special place in my heart. My Tilly girl hidden in plain sight.
+A BEAUTIFUL OBITUARY: Roxane Gay, one of my favorite social critics and writers, wrote the most beautiful tribute to her recently-deceased mother this past week. I loved every fine-tipped detail she included; I felt like I met her mother. It is so important to write down the details about your beloved lost while the memories are still fresh. I’ve written about this concept here —
“When someone passes away, sit down at your desk and capture in precise language a memory. It doesn’t have to be profound, or moving, or dramatic. It could be a joke that made your aunt double over in laughter, or your cousin’s favorite turn-of-phrase, or the narrow and undecorated details of a trip to the shoe store with your grandma, or a conversation in the backyard with your next door neighbor.
Send these memories by hand to the bereaved, as though releasing paper boats into the water:
something slight and hand-formed that still, against all odds, floats.”
+BESTSELLERS:The Tory Burch Romy bag! I’ve been wearing mine non-stop. She’s so easy to pick up and toss everything into, and the gray color is unusual but goes with everything. You’re gonna love her.
