This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.

I wrote a little bit about my strategies for weathering the strain of January yesterday, but this week was, truly, a see-saw of emotions and energies that required a lot of recalibrating. We returned from a ski trip, packed up all the Christmas gear and cleared out the tree, spent hours doing laundry and finding new homes for new toys, endured the inevitable tantrum backlash that accompanies every transition from unspooled holiday time to “get up and get ready for school by 7:30 a.m.,” nudged our way back into a routine. I worked out every day this week, my son was also home sick from school his first official day back, and while we tried to get to bed on the early end, there was one night where Mr. Magpie both found ourselves in a lethargic funk and decided we needed to “reclaim the day” (his words) by doing something for us. So we passed on the planned dinner of leftovers, ordered delivery, opened a bottle of wine, and stayed up to watch TV together. It was just right.

But, overall, a real pitchpole of a week. If you’re on my wavelength, I see you. No feeling is final; just keep swimming.

Above: My son, volubly but independently playing Legos at my feet for long stretches of his “sick day.” I put sick day in quotations because the day prior, he’d been very sleepy, warm to the touch, not-himself, and when he woke up on his designated first post-holiday school day the next morning, he insisted he needed more sleep, and I acquiesced and kept him home. He was thereafter the most chipper version of himself, sprinting around with vigor and vim. Oh well. He needed the day, I guess — there are worse things! Two little notes: he loves this little sea creature 3-in-1 Lego “creator” set. These sets are brilliant because you can build multiple different things with the same pieces, and my son loves following the instruction booklets. Interestingly, my daughter likes to build a vignette once and then “play” with the Lego figures as if they are toys. My son truly enjoys the process of building, taking apart, building again. The creator kits are ideal for him. They’re marked as 7+ but he’s quite good at them at 4.5, only occasionally needing guidance. We use baking sheets to corral all the little pieces.

Above, wearing Lululemon Aligns, my $30 Paris sweatshirt (Anine Bing vibes, for less), and my favorite Clare Vivier hat, feeling pleased as punch with myself after a string of days of solid fitness. I’ve been alternating between using the stationery bike and running, and then I always tack on a 10-minute core video at the end of the cardio session. My abs are incredibly sore. I was telling Mr. Magpie that I haven’t really focused on my core like since my second c-section, and my body is screaming at me now after five years of atrophying. I also finally called to set up personal training sessions that will start next week. I’m going to be doing one hour a week and then hoping to replicate the routine on my own another day of the week. My fitness goal is not a number or a specific goal (e.g. “I want to do x reps of y”) or a milestone (e.g. “I want to run a half marathon”) but — I want to feel strong and toned heading into my 40th birthday. We’ll be spending it in Colorado with my family and I envision running and hiking the mountains feeling well-prepared — but I mainly just want to take on my 40th year with energy and strength. I also truly value the mental wellness aspect and, in a year dedicated to “stretching” and “taking up space,” taking the time to exercise feels right. Running in particular is such a slog for me but I inevitably feel better about everything afterward, and I find the pavement pounding strangely therapeutic (over, say, elliptical or stationery bike, though I do quite a bit of the latter). It’s also a way of “trapping” myself in a workout, which sounds vicious, but it works: you can’t just stop and give up halfway through a run. You always need to complete the return leg! By contrast, I’ve been known to trim biking/elliptical sessions short.

A few strategies/thoughts I’ve been gathering about myself when I’m dreading a workout: 1) I calendar the exercise and add an exercise tickbox to my to-do list for that day, and then treat the workout as an immovable block, e.g., as I would a scheduled doctor’s appointment, or dropping off the kids at school; 2) I remind myself of something a Magpie once said along the lines of getting into a fitness routine: “Sometimes you just gotta move the dirt” — e.g., just get out there and do it! It’s not always going to be fun or easy or enjoyable — in fact, I rarely enjoy running while I’m doing it! — but you have to bear down sometimes. Equally, I generally try to challenge myself to improve by an imagined 1% each time I workout, but sometimes I do not have the energy for that, and the only goal is to tick the box. Complete the three mile loop. Just get it done! 3) I reward myself — right now, I have a list of fitness items I want to purchase that I will treat myself to if I keep up the good cadence, but sometimes, it’s something small, like “after this workout, I’m going to lay down in bed for ten minutes and just scroll Instagram in my robe” or “I’ll grab a latte while out.”

A spartan lunch this week, when our fridge was bare after the holidays/ski trip. But how good are boiled eggs?! I use this recipe for consistently great results. I sprinkled this batch (and its accompanying rye toast) with Everything Bagel Seasoning and served it up on my favorite melamine plates. While enjoying my ascetic meal, I thought about the Magpie who’d written to rave about her egg slicer and wished I’d had one on hand. (I loved all your comments on kitchen tips / perspectives and find them frequently folded into my excursions in the kitchen. And P.S., there are so many delicious, easy meal ideas in the comments section of my post on “What do you eat when you fridge is bare?”)

I’m completely obsessed with a mug of English Breakfast tea after lunch — I’ve had one every day for the past week or two. I love Harney’s recipe, which I probably besmirch by adding too much sugar and half-and-half, but – the heart wants what it wants. I think it’s partly the warming aroma, partly the tiny jolt of caffeine, and partly the ritual of it. Why is it so delightful to boil water in the Fellow kettle?! It’s ultra-quiet and fast, and I love pouring out of the gooseneck spout.

A few beauty things sparking joy right now: still absolutely obsessed with this Chantecaille bronzing face tint. I’ve become adept at applying, and I love it so much, I brought the entire tub with me on the ski trip, which called for a lot of space! It affords the most perfect “I just got back from vacation” glow. I dab on around the hairline, on my nose, and under my cheekbones and then blend in with the Merit brush. I also deeply love the UBeauty tinted moisturizer. I had some breakouts in December that called for more coverage so had used foundation for awhile, but now I’m back to this — a beautiful, hydrating base layer with a touch of radiance and coverage. Glides on beautifully. And of course the lip plasma! Still obsessed with it. This color is punchy and fun. The Oi hair oil startled me — my hair is fine and doesn’t do well with much added product, but on days I’m using my dry shampoo, I’ll use the tiniest bit of the oil on my hair ends to sort of “finish” and “seal” and I swear the effect is magic. Finally, my girlfriend gave me this Kitsch hair clip as a part of my Christmas gift and I’ve been carrying it around with me everywhere. Why does it spark so much joy?!

Finally, a few items at the top of my shopping list right now…

01. PROENZA SCHOULER BAG // 02. AMBITIONIST HENLEY // 03. SPIRITUAL GANGSTER TOP AND LEGGINGS // 04. CELINE SUNGLASSES // 05. SLVRLAKE JEANS // 06. VERONICA BEARD LEATHER BLAZER // 07. PARAVEL SUITCASE // 08. HESTRA SNOW MITTENS // 09. SMITH SKI GOGGLES // 10. AMAZON CROSSBODY

P.S. When was the last time you had a book hangover?

P.P.S. Are you still letting things drop when you need to?

P.P.P.S. The pinch of watching your babies grow up.