Little Lessons by Chelsea

this morning’s garden visit ☀️

the pumpkins have grown so much in just three weeks! we’re still crossing our fingers for beautiful pumpkins this fall — and ideally before halloween 👻🎃

our two cucumber varieties are producing, the tomatoes are doing their thing, and the cucamelons are getting so close. we even have a few wildflowers that look ready to bloom any day now. 🌸

there’s something so rewarding about watching a garden grow a little more each day ✨

before I knew anything about gardening, I knew how magical it felt to pick something straight from my grandparents’ garden.

as a kid, my grandparents let me help plant a big garden at their “farm.”

I use the word farm loosely because it wasn’t exactly a traditional farm. it looked like one —wide open spaces, an old farmhouse, a brick hog house, and several large outbuildings. but behind those big garage doors, you’d find my grandpa restoring old cars, tractors, and just about anything else with a motor.

every granddaughter eventually asks for a horse, and I was no exception. my grandpa’s answer was always the same: “sure, if you come out here every morning at 5:00AM to take care of it.”

my response was always, “but you’re already here.”

and so, it remained “the funny farm.” 🚜🤪

what they did promise was a garden.

we planted it together, and whenever we visited and something was ready to harvest, we’d pick it, wash it off at the water spigot, and eat it right there. everything tastes better straight from the garden.

I’m not quite at the scale of my grandparents’ garden, but we have tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and more growing right outside our back door. and this year, for a little extra magic, we planted a mini pumpkin patch with hopes that the boys will be able to pick pumpkins right from our backyard this fall.

because that’s magic to me.

it was magical when I was a kid, and I’m hoping it will be for them, too ✨

isn’t memory funny? how it takes something as ordinary as gardening and turns it into something sacred. something that carries the people we love long after the moment has passed.

every time I’m out in the garden, I think of my grandparents and how proud they’d be of each little harvest 🤍

PLACES I FIND ON MY TRAVELS ☕️🌿🥐

one of my favorite things to do when I travel is wander.

after brunch with my parents, we wandered down main street waterloo and stumbled into a few local gems.

☕️ The Savvy Bean for coffee (and their delicious açaí bowls)

🌿 Grow Room for the best plants + gifts

🥐 Con Amor Bakery & Cafe for pastries that looked almost too good to eat

of course, we didn’t leave empty-handed. we picked up a cajeta cruffin, a s’mores croissant, two biscoff cookies, and a churro latte, a new plant baby, and an iced coffee.

I love finding pockets like this — three locally owned businesses, all within a few doors of each other, creating a downtown that feels welcoming, vibrant, and worth exploring.

if you’re ever in waterloo, take a stroll down Main Street. ✨

📍 waterloo, IA

for the last few years, I’ve been chipping away at outdoor projects, figuring it out as I went along.

but this year, I had a vision — and a strong urge to finally get it done. I wanted a space that felt calming, cozy + completely our own. a place filled with things we love. and I was determined to make it happen.

so we did.

on tuesday, we had our first fire in our finished backyard, tucked in next to our garden and surrounded by plants that bring the whole space to life. the boys made s’mores, and my heart was so full and content 🤍

all the trips to the garden center. the countless bags of rock and mulch. the overthinking of every plant and where it should go. the evenings spent digging in the dirt long after the sun went down.

IT WAS ALL WORTH IT.

because I’ll always remember the first fire in this space and hearing my boys declare it “the best night ever.”✨

for this moment and for the many memories still to come.. 🤍🌿

april was full 🌱✨

the brown, dreary days gave way to warmth + green, and it felt like the whole earth woke up from hibernation.. and honestly, we did too.

we celebrated easter, eleanor’s 11th birthday 🐾, jackson turning 9, art shows, music programs, outdoor sports + all the little moments in between. I traveled to nashville for work, overcame fears + doubts, and moderated a panel (go me 🥹). I also squeezed in broadway, live music + a tour of the grand ole opry.

and when our travel plans unexpectedly changed, the boys + I pivoted hard and flew to florida. poolside days, epcot, rollercoasters, disney characters, m&m’s with their faces on them, and memories I know I’ll hold in my heart forever.

my daily habit streak ended in april (after 74 days 🤦🏻‍♀️), but honestly? it was okay. I didn’t write, read, or work out every day — but I filled those days with fresh air, movement, joy, presence + so much love.

april reminded me that routines will always be there waiting for me. sometimes life asks us to loosen our grip a little and simply live it while it’s happening.

and we did. 🥹🤍

may day is one of my favorite little traditions.

I’ve always called it “happy mail” — those small, unexpected moments that just make someone’s day.

may day baskets feel like that in real life.. little surprises dropped at your neighbor’s door just to say thinking of you. nothing fancy, just a small moment of joy.

the boys + I have been doing them the past few years and it’s something we look forward to. this year’s sneak peek is at the end of the carousel 👉🏻🙂

simple things really do hit the best! ✨

this wasn’t the trip we planned.. ✨

on travel day, I woke up to a notification that our flight to california had been pushed back a full day (which feels huge when you only have 2.5 days), so we found ourselves with packed bags and a sudden change of plans.

we had our hearts set on somewhere sunny + warm, so we did what we do — we pivoted and hopped on the first flight we could, landing in florida instead.

and in true “when life gives you lemons” fashion.. we squeezed the heck out of them + added a little sugar.

what could’ve been disappointment turned into one of those trips I’ll remember forever. the kind where you hear your kids laugh a little louder, stay up a little later, and suddenly realize just how quickly time is moving.

these two little boys (who somehow aren’t so little anymore 🥹) are growing up right in front of me. and I just feel so grateful I get to be here for it all—the planned moments, the detours, and everything in between. ✈️🤍✨

the start of daylight saving time brings with it the feeling of a season’s end — warmer, brighter days ahead. (and for some reason.. a rather stubborn attachment to that hour of sleep I lost, but alas.)

a midwestern winter isn’t for the faint of heart. temperatures low enough to warn you inside, snowfalls that rival your greatest athletic feat just to clear the driveway.

and while I truly brace for impact every time I step outside, winter is a beautiful season. it’s often a slow down — more time spent cozied up under warm blankets, eating soup, watching the snowfall. or a movie. or both!

but as the cold blanket slowly uncovers the midwest, I find myself grateful.

grateful for the unexpectedly gorgeous days when we couldn’t be kept inside.
for the indoor sports that kept the boys active, challenged, and having fun.
for the lush, bright, warm escape to the botanical gardens.
for libraries and books to get lost in.
for hours and weekends spent with loved ones.

I’m grateful for the changing of seasons — the reminder that each one brings its own challenges, and if I’m willing, its own beauty 🌿

february, you were full.

from wearing a sweatshirt 👉🏻 8” of snow in 48 hours..

a nowhere to be snow day is the best.. but this morning, that wasn’t in the cards. first came shoveling and then a trip downtown to update my headshots (after 14+ years, it was time). even pulled my 2005 ugg boots out of the archives for the trek.

here’s to a productive day before 9:30AM 🙌🏻😂❄️

the boys are in a busy season—although it feels like all of our seasons are busy. our calendar is busting at the seams. we’re squeezing, dividing, competing, playing, celebrating, practicing, driving.. you get it.

on monday, we unexpectedly had a “stay home” night, as we lovingly call them. to make it feel a little extra special (and relaxing), I made us a plan — from dinner, to our activity (chocolate-covered fruit), to the timing of our spa + movie night.

the best part? I already had everything on hand except bread for grilled cheese + the printable. simple, quick to pull together, and still so fun + special for the boys and I.

it’s the little things, my friends 🤍