On staying organized (help!).

Friends, I need your advice: What are your favorite ways to stay organized? I've got a couple of new projects going on and I'm wondering if I'm working as efficiently as I could be. So far, Google Docs, phone reminders, Dropbox and my trusty (and beautiful) Rifle Paper Co. notebooks have been my saving graces, but I'm wondering: What are your favorite organizational apps, tips and tricks? I'd really, really love to know.

P.S. Remember this article, about how productive people get up insanely early? I am wondering if there's something to that. Can any of you who do freelance projects while also working a full-time job chime in?

Photo by Victoria

Today.

A friend posted this on Facebook yesterday:

"On September 10, I am always reminded that you never know when today is the day before everything changes. Find your happy and live it hard. Be grateful for the good in those around you."

Amen. Take care of yourselves today, friends. Remember the good.

Art by Christopher David Ryan. 

Scenes from the weekend (on a Tuesday).

I love weekends that feel long and stretched out, don't you? After a packed week, I left Sarasota behind for the third weekend in a row and headed north to spend some much-needed quality time with ACS. Even though it was only a 24-hour visit, we filled it with long walks, antique-store browsing, great food and lots of laughter. Add to that a fun dinner from the Orlando Food Truck Bazaar with my parents on Sunday night and you have what I'd consider a pretty perfect few days. Here's a look at them in photos.

We walked down pretty side streets swooned over the flowers in bloom everywhere...

...daydreamed about living in this house...

...declared pink and mint the color palette o' the weekend...

...sat in a community garden, basking in the golden late-afternoon light (my favorite time of day)...

...had an amazing dinner at this adorable restaurant...

...decided we're staying in a B&B next time because, hello, how cute...

...made friends with a kitty (when does this not happen with me?)...

...came across a trio of butterflies that let us get very close (you know how I feel about butterflies)...

...and ended the weekend with lobster rolls, Korean barbecue, shrimp and grits and cupcakes.

I hope your weekend was equally as lovely, and that your weeks have started out on a high note. xoxo

Six things you should know about me.

My friend Alicia, who writes the wonderful Jaybird blog, tagged me to fill out this little survey, and since I am a sucker for this kind of thing, I figured I'd oblige. So, here you go: Six things you should know about me.

1. What is one thing you are thankful for right this moment?
Right at this moment? Coffee. Also, a job I love, wonderful friends and family, my sweet kitty cats and a bunch of opportunities that have recently come my way.

2. What was your favorite book as a kid?
Oh, gosh, this is hard. Coming to mind right now are The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Little House and Strega Nona. And when I was in third grade I went through a very intense Nancy Drew phase.

3. Do you have a mentor? If so, what’s the most significant thing you’ve learned from him or her?
My mentor is my current boss. She's super smart, a wonderful manager and teacher, a talented writer and editor, and just an incredibly fair, kind human being.

4. If you had to subsist on three foods for a year, what would they be?
Smoked salmon (I really could eat this every day), Trader Joe's chicken gyoza dumplings (I'm obsessed with them right now) and burrata.

5. What travel destination is on your “someday” list?
Paris! I've never been out of the country (I know), and that is the first place I want to go.

6. If you had to write a six-word memoir, what would it be?
Ask for what you want. (OK, so that's only five words, but they're so important you don't need the sixth. Seriously: Best lesson I've ever learned.)

Would love to hear your responses to these questions, as well! Feel free to answer them in a comment or send me a link to the post if you respond on your own blog (I'd especially love to know what your six-word memoir would be!).

Photo: Me and my parents' adorable pup, Legacy.

What are you doing this weekend?

Happy Friday, everyone! Is it just me, or does it feel like next week should be the start of August? I keep having these weird moments where I think that I'm heading to San Diego next week, when in fact it's the week after. And while I'm kind of glad for the extra time (packing and getting ready to go is going to be a bit nuts), it feels weird. Please tell me I'm not the only one!

Anyway, what are you doing this weekend? ACS and I are celebrating our two-year anniversary next week (aw), but since, you know, we've got the long-distance thing going on right now, we're getting together this weekend. We don't have anything special planned—I think we're pretty much just going to hang out—but since the next two weeks are going to be cer-azy (little brother's wedding, milestone birthday, etc.), I'm really looking forward to the relaxation.

Oh, and if you're in the mood for some reading this weekend, here are three great links:

Saying yes when you should say no: This Fast Company article is a really great read, because saying no (and the consequences I make myself think come with it) is really hard for me and a lot of others I know. (via Kate)

I can't wait for Homeland to start again (obsessed). Love this interview with Claire Danes, with bonus Damian Lewis photos.

I really like this post about blogging from Helen Jane. It's a year old, but I think it's still relevant.

And in case you missed anything here this week: Anna Maria Donuts (my new favorite place), a personal challenge (scary, but so far, so good—thank you so much for all your kind comments), Ask Amy (as in, Poehler) and beautiful goods from Proud Mary.

Have a magical weekend with the ones you love, friends! xoxo

Photo via 

Personal challenge.

I know it's sort of gauche to talk about money in public, but I thought putting this out here would make me more accountable. So here goes: I am putting myself on a spending freeze. With the exception of food (and by food I mean groceries), gas, my prescription, and two other pre-freeze-planned social activities, I am going to try not to spend any "extra" money over the next two weeks. No clothes shopping, no 2 p.m. coffee runs (tear!), no social activities that require fundage other than the gas it takes to get to them. The extra money is going straight to my savings account.

(Eeek.)

There are several reasons for this freeze, the main one being that (even though I stick to a budget) I've been feeling kind of spendy lately, but the other one being that after posting Bri's awesome living room pictures last week, I got that itch to buy "stuff." You know what I mean, I think: The burning desire to buy just to buy; to have something delivered that I'll probably stare at lovingly for a few weeks or months, but that will eventually most likely be relegated to a cupboard or closet. It wasn't a good feeling; in fact, it made me really uncomfortable. I mean, yes, I want to redo my living room, but not at the expense of my savings account, you know?

So when I got my last paycheck, I decided to institute the spending freeze. And I'm not going to lie, it's a bit scary. I did a big grocery shop on Sunday, so I'm set with food for the week (meal-planning helps a lot with that), and my week is pretty well planned out, so I have a good idea of what to expect. And you know, even though I have that "OMG-I-have-no-money" feeling for some reason, it's nice to know that the extra is sitting happily in savings.

Have you guys ever done something like this? Does it freak you out as much as it does me? If I can calm down about it, I think I'm going to try to do it more often, but we'll see how the next two weeks go, I guess. I'll keep you posted.

P.S. Just so I don't come across as a total hypocrite, I'll still be posting about pretty things/products that I love, simply because I like cataloging them here. But hopefully I'll be talking more about the story behind the brand/product, as opposed to how much I want to click the "buy" button on the website.

Photo by Ivana Rosario

I need a vacation.

Friends, after a week of stress and then a week of sickness, I feel like I am in need of a vacation. And not a staycation, mind you: An actual change-of-scenery, real-live vacation. I was planning a little getaway for my 30th birthday in August, but my brother's getting married in San Diego right around the same time (like, four days beforehand, to be specific), which means that "little getaway" has become "major family travel event." So in September, I'm making ACS take a belated birthday trip with me to some beautiful Southern locale—Savannah or Charleston, most likely (although Nashville also has slowly been creeping up both of our respective "must-visit" lists, I think).

Until then, though, I'm wondering if there's a weekend I can sneak away sometime in July. Asheville looks like a fun city, as does New Orleans (though there's no way in hell I'm going there at the height of summer), and I have cousins in Atlanta who, actually, will have just had a new baby that I'd love to meet. Two of my best friends live in Boston and New York, as well, and I'm dying to get up that way to see them, so the options are definitely there—I just need to make the plans. Where have you guys traveled lately? Do you ever feel the need to just get away?

P.S. Savannah and Charleston travel recaps, respectively.
P.P.S. The photos above are from Bruges, Belgium. Let's not even talk about how badly I want to get to Europe. 35th birthday in Paris or bust!

All photos via This is Glamorous

What are you doing this weekend?

Happy Friday, friends—it's the weekend, yay! How were your weeks? Mine was good. In fact, it ended up being a week of little treats: I made that chai coconut ice cream on Monday, which aside from tasting awesome was a fun project; on Wednesday I bought the brightest pink peonies I could find and splurged on some Maldon sea salt (which is amazing, something I never thought I'd say about salt); and yesterday, I got my first facial in an attempt to take better care of my skin and it was fabulous. (My aesthetician is wonderful, by the way; if you're in Sarasota and need someone great, let me know.)

I'm becoming a big believer in occasionally rewarding yourself with little things like flowers or candles or—sometimes—with bigger splurges like a facial or a new piece of clothing or even a trip somewhere. In the past I usually did this with food—a candy bar here, a scoop of ice cream there—but I'm quickly learning that that's not the best thing to do. So candles, flowers and facials (!) it is. Here's to being gentle with ourselves.

No links today--just a wish that you all have a wonderful weekend! See you back here on Monday. xoxo

Photo: J.Crew

Butterflies.

I'm not sure I've ever talked about my love of butterflies on this blog before, but I have a lot of it. It began when I was a little girl—somehow, a butterfly fluttered into our screened-in porch, and I managed to catch it and was transfixed by it for a very long time. We have pictures from that day—of the little insect perched on my three-year-old hand—and while I'm pretty sure the poor thing didn't make it (chubby toddler fingers and delicate wings are not the best combination), I was a butterfly lover from that moment on. I've just always thought they're beautiful.

That love really didn't resurface in any significant way, aside from general appreciation, until college, when I fell in love with one of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short stories—"The Artist of the Beautiful"—and chose to write my senior thesis on it. The story is about a young artist, a watchmaker, who sets out to create a mechanical butterfly and bring it to life for the woman he's in love with. It's a touching story—here's the full version, if you'd like to read it—and I had no problem filling up 20 pages with my thoughts and theories about it and its relationship to art and nature and science and beauty.

After that I didn't think about butterflies and their symbolism for a long time—until two years ago, in fact, when my wonderful grandmother passed away. Funerals are never easy, of course, but as we all tearfully took our seats at the cemetery, I looked up to see a huge monarch butterfly hovering near the gravesite. That butterfly stayed exactly where it was for the whole burial service, fervently flapping its wings, almost like it was reassuring us that although we were so sad, there was still some beauty—some deeper meaning—to be found that day.

I think my grandmother would have liked that.

And from that moment on, butterflies, to me, became a symbol, a reminder, of my grandmother. It was like it had all come full circle. And I know part of this is because now I look for them more, but I swear I've seen more monarch butterflies in the past two years than I ever have before. They never fail to make me smile; when I see one, I like to think my grandmother's checking in on me.

The reason I bring all this up—the reason butterflies have been on my mind—is because over Mother's Day weekend, a monarch butterfly zipped around my parents' front yard for almost two straight days. It was amazing. At one point, I went outside to watch it and it fluttered so close to me that I almost could have reached out and touched it (I didn't; I've come a long way since I was three). Despite years of Catholic school and Sunday Mass, I'm not a religious person, but I do like the thought that something, some higher power or maybe someone we love who's passed on, is watching over us.

Butterflies—with all their fragile beauty—remind me of that.

Photo credit

A couple of photos from life lately.

Just a couple of photos from life lately: Leftover flowers and party decorations from Kate's bridal shower; the beach on a perfect, golden evening; baseball games on surprisingly chilly spring days with ACS; my lemon tree (which I'm crazy attached to); my sweet fluffy felines; meeting Tom Brokaw and Dylan McDermott for work (separately—I've been having some pinch-me-am-I-dreaming? professional opportunities lately); an explosion of yellow on my parents' golden trumpet tree (given to them as a gift when I was born); spring dresses; new shoes; and Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook, which I'm loving for both the healthy recipes and beautiful photography.

How are you guys doing?

All images via my Instagram. 

On being assertive.

Here are two things you should know about me: I am a people-pleaser, and I hate confrontation. I've gotten a tiny bit better about standing up for myself in the last few years because, well, I've had to, but in general I have a hard time telling people how I really feel—particularly if I don't know them exceptionally well, and sometimes even if I do—because I have a fear that they'll (a) get mad at me or (b) judge me. So for the most part I've tried to completely avoid either of those scenarios and live in (or project an air of living in, which is an important difference) "the marshmallow," as my friend Kate likes to say—in other words, in a white, sugary, fluffy cloud of happiness. As you can imagine, that's not especially healthy for my mental well-being.

Especially because sometimes the marshmallow gets singed. Sometimes it actually gets burned. And when that happens, I have to do something about it. The wise person who told me I should keep a worry journal and set boundaries with others so as not to be a doormat also told me that "there's passive and there's aggressive, and then in the middle there's assertive. You need to find that place and live there." And I'm working on it, but when you're almost 30 and you've made a career of avoiding this kind of thing, it is hard. I've been pretty good about setting the boundaries, but when it comes to telling people why I'm doing so, I choke—for exactly the reasons mentioned above.

This growing up thing, it is hard.

Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is because I had a tough week last week—nothing major, just a random grouping of events that conspired to make things a little more difficult than normal—and I found myself incredibly frustrated about the fact that I can't seem to tell people how I feel. I'm an emotional person by nature, so this perceived shortcoming is, naturally, upsetting. I do think the frustration is good--I think it's going to lead to some sort of breakthrough—but tell me: How do you guys assert yourselves? Have you learned to become more assertive? And when do you choose to speak up vs. stand down? I would really love to know.

Photo by Nikaa

Boston.

Leaving work today, I stared at the sidewalk, feeling so sad about what happened in Boston this afternoon. As I walked, I heard chirping, and as I got closer to my car, the chirping increased in volume until it was almost all I could hear. I finally spotted a little bird, sitting on a signpost, singing so loudly, with all the feeling in his tiny body, that his feathered chest puffed out and his little feet almost left the ground.

All of the sudden, that famous first line of Emily Dickinson's poem —"Hope is the thing with feathers"— ran through my mind, and I was so overcome with feeling that my eyes started to well up. I'm so lucky that my friends who live in Boston—who happen to be some of my best—are OK, because I know there are a lot of people who aren't. So to everyone affected by today's tragedy, I'm sending thoughts of love, peace, and above all, hope.

P.S. On such a dark day, it's so amazing to see the efforts of first responders and marathon volunteers and generous bystanders. Sometimes it's hard to remember, but there is a lot of good in this world.

Photo credit

Being kind to ourselves.

A few weeks ago, I read a great post on Mary's blog titled "How I Take Care of Myself," inspired by a post of the same name on Meg's blog. This is a subject that's been on my mind a lot of late, as I--like most of us--seem to always be rushing, live on my cell phone and computer, and beat myself up and worry over things that really don't deserve the time of day or emotional investment.

So I decided to make a list of the things that I do—sometimes subconsciously—to take care of myself. Here it is—reading over it now, I can't help but smile, because all the things on it make me genuinely happy. And in the meantime, here's to slowing down and taking care of ourselves.

Worry wart.

So, it turns out I am a worrier, like, big-time. This is nothing new to me. I tend to work myself up and fret over tiny things—going to the doctor being a prime example—only to experience a huge surge of relief (and drop in adrenaline) when whatever I'm fretting about is over. I hesitate to call this anxiety, but it's definitely anxiety's cousin—and as any of you who experience something similar know, it can be pretty crippling sometimes.

But thanks to my impending 30th birthday, I've kick-started my brain into thinking that it's time to start getting the ducks in my life in a row, and one of those ducks (this metaphor is getting weird) is mental health. Aside from the unavoidable everyday stuff, there are certain, specific things in my life that cause me stress, and so I'm making an active effort to address, deal with and, in some cases, remove them. And I'm trying to figure out ways to deal with my propensity to worry, too.

One of those ways, according to a very wise person, is using a worry journal. At the end of each day, I sit down with my notebook and paper and write down all the things I've worried about or am worried about. The idea is that I get them out, on paper, and then I close the notebook and leave them there. And while I can't say that I'm 100 percent successful at doing that—this is a work in progress—I can absolutely tell you that it's helping, and that I'm much more aware of what kinds of things I'm investing precious emotional energy into. (Often, they don't even deserve the time of day—I'd much rather put that emotional energy into my relationships or other happy, significant things going on in my life.)

Have you ever tried something like this? How do you guys deal with stress? Exercise is my other favorite way—I always feel better after a spin class, some yoga or 45 minutes on the elliptical, but I really want to hear what you all do, too.

Photo by Olivia

The Burning House.

You all probably know about this blog (and book) already, but I came across The Burning House thanks to this post on SFGirlByBay last week, and I am fascinated. The site features reader-submitted photographs that answer one simple question: If your house was burning, what would you take with you? Scrolling through the photos is alternately amusing and heartbreaking, but more than anything, it's totally addicting. 

For me, the answer to the question—at least right at this moment—is my cats, my Lamby and Kitty (stuffed animals I've had since I was a baby), my cell phone, my wallet, my computer, a journal and my grandmother's yearbooks,  but I'd love to hear from you, too: What would you take with you if your house was burning?

All photos via The Burning House

My ideal day.

So I don't know if it was Mercury in retrograde, hormones, a series of unfortunate events or what, but two weeks ago I was feeling seriously off. I'm kind of thinking it was a combo of Nos. 2 and 3, but whatever was going on was a doozy. Luckily, the weird mental haze lifted a few days later and I felt mostly back to normal, but also like I needed to think about the way I handle stress and let it affect me. So, thanks to a book I was flipping through at the time, I started thinking about my ideal day—what I would do (on the weekends and weekdays) if I stuck what is essentially my dream schedule. And then I started thinking about the ways I can incorporate some of those dream items into my actual life. Turns out, my dream schedule is actually pretty darn attainable, and that is awesome. (Now I just have to get myself to do the things on my lists, but motivation—or lack thereof—is a whoooole other post.)

Before I go farther, a disclaimer: I am aware that the off-weeks are going to happen from time to time (and sometimes more often than that), that they're unavoidable, that they're part of the fabric that makes us who we are. In fact, as much as I joke about living in the marshmallow, I wouldn't want to live in it 24/7 (who would?). And actually, I generally appreciate the down days (at least after the fact). There's always something that can be learned from them.

But.

I am a big believer in trying new things and  making space in our lives for activities and experiences that make us happy and fulfilled and more productive. Hence this list. Below you'll find my ideal weekday and weekend day, and I hope you'll share at least a few things you'd do on your ideal days, too.

What are you doing this weekend?

Friends, I am not going to lie: It has been a rough week. There were highs, of course (there always are), but there were some definite lows, too, and I'm feeling a little fragile in the mental department. So I am particularly glad it is Friday, and that the weekend is stretching out in front of me. I have no plans, but I have a pretty big list of chores I want to get done around the house (small things like clean my makeup brushes, but also bigger things like vaccuum, sweep and mop and give the bathroom a scrubdown), so that should keep me pretty occupied. Plus, the weather is beautiful so I'm hopeful for some outside time, and the Oscars are on Sunday night, as I'm sure you are well aware, so gown-watching has immediately jumped to the top of my list for that evening.

In the meantime, if you're looking for some weekend reading, here are three links:

+ My interview with Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter. (Cough, cough; shameless plug.) (Sarasota magazine)

+ I've been thinking a lot about the way I eat lately, so this article--The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food--is pretty fascinating. (The New York Times)

+ And as a huuuuuge Rifle Paper Co. fan (I can't wait for the new iPhone cases!), I loved this profile of Anna Bond on Design*Sponge. What a talent. (Design*Sponge)

Have a peaceful weekend. See you back here on Monday. xoxo

Photo: My own.

Choose joy.

On Monday night, I went to Trader Joe's after spin class. I picked up two bags of frozen peas, a package of shallots and a container of chicken broth, among a few other things. Then I came home, chopped up the shallots and some garlic, sauteed them in some olive oil, dumped in the peas and the broth, boiled and simmered, pureed everything in the blender—and then promptly spilled it.

All over the floor.
All over myself.

I am not kidding when I tell you it looked like I got slimed by Swamp Thing. It was gross. And what did I do?

Oh, friends, I cried. A lot. To the point where I had shaking shoulders, puffy eyes and goo dripping from my nose. It was awful. I cried like my heart was broken, and I cried for a long, long time. Over pea soup. (Seriously. Although, to be fair, there's been some other stuff happening in my life that had probably been bottled up for awhile, and spilled soup was a good excuse for all of it to come out through my eye sockets.)

Poor ACS, bless him, listened to me sob for a good long while, and a hot shower and some sleep also helped me gain some perspective, as did a day spent outside for work on Tuesday. (I mean, how can you be sad when you've got this view right in front of you?) But I still felt off most of yesterday, and so today I've decided to come up with a little happy list—here, in no particular order, are 10 things that are putting a smile on my face right now—you know, as opposed to making me wail like a banshee. Choose joy, like the image above says, right? (Note, however, that the list does not include pea soup.)

1. The little bubbles that float up from the top of the dish detergent bottle when you squeeze it.
2. Glorious February weather.
3. ACS. Always.
4.Sushi dinners with favorite friends.
5. My fluffy felines, who like to touch noses with me (Oscar) and sleep on my head (Zadie).
6. Um, did I mention this view? Lucky to have it nearby.
7. Perfect chai teas in the morning and afternoon: Two Tazo chai teabags, hot water, a glug of almond milk, a splash of agave. Yum. Also, I'm still loving matcha lattes, especially on the weekends.
8. Weekly flowers on my coffee table. This week: pink tulips.
9. New books! Currently reading The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, to be followed by Ian MacEwan's new one, Sweet Tooth. 
10. Wine. I mean, come on.

What's making you happy right now? What's the first happy thought you turn to when you're having a rough day?

xoxo

Photo: My own, snapped at the fantastic Starfish Company Market in Cortez. "Choose joy"—I love it.

Splurge vs. save.

I have a pair of $30 fake-leather boots from Target that I've been tromping around in for awhile now. I bought them because they were cute, they go with jeans as well as they do with a skirt, and they fit my giant calves*. And they've been good to me, for the most part.

But then, a couple weeks ago, I found myself walking downtown with my friend Hannah to watch Nik Wallenda tightrope-walk, untethered, across U.S. 41 (you may have seen this on the news). My office is downtown, less than half a mile from where we eventually ended up, but by the time we walked there, watched Wallenda walk and then got back to the office, the bottoms of my feet were burning. Sadness.

I also have a pair of Frye boots that my best friend Kate found me on a very successful thrifting trip. I have never once felt uncomfortable in them after wearing them for an extended period of time; the same thing can be said for a years-old pair of Miss Albright shoes from Anthropologie that I love (my first major shoe splurge—my finger was literally shaking when I pressed the "purchase" button) and another pair of Frye wedges that I wear all the time.

Hmm.

Obviously, I'm not saying that all expensive shoes are well-made and comfortable, just that, as I get older, I'm wondering if it doesn't make more sense to invest in shoes (and other items) that I know will last forever. Joy recently wrote a great post about this, which is what got me thinking about it, and now I'm curious to know: What do you guys splurge on and what do you choose to save on? (I don't have an unlimited income, so for me, splurges require a fair amount of saving, which means I have to think even more carefully about what I choose to spend on.)

P.S. If you guys have any great boot suggestions—either makers or styles—for my aforementioned giant calves*, they would sure be appreciated!

Photo: Atlantic-Pacific 

Making some changes.

So, I decided that last Friday was the last day that I'll be drinking one of my beloved Starbucks vanilla spice lattes on the regular, one of the several reasons being that I prefer to eat my calories, not drink them, and whipped cream is probably not something I need to be ingesting as often as I have been. Plus, I can put those five bucks toward something more fun, right?

The thing is, I generally need some sort of non-water caffeinated beverage in the afternoon. So, inspired by my friend and co-worker Hannah, I've decided hot tea is the answer, and starting Monday I began resisting the urge to traipse to Starbucks after lunch and instead started making a cup of green tea at my desk (in a pretty mug, because a pretty mug makes everything taste even better, right?). Hooray for health benefits (antioxidants, woo!) and no coffee jitters in the late afternoon (double woo! One time I drank a huge cup of strong coffee at, like, 5 p.m. after not having eaten a snack all afternoon, then stopped at the grocery store, and I swear I vibrated through the aisles. It was not pretty).

But there's more. I've also decided I'm going to (try to) eliminate artificial sweeteners from what I'm consuming, too. For the past couple of months, I've been dumping a packet of Sweet 'n' Low into my morning coffee because it gives me just the amount of sweetness I want without the calories. (I also drink the occasional Diet Coke, usually on the weekends, which never fails to make me crave real sugar immediately afterward.) But we all know that artificial sweeteners aren't good for you, so I'm switching to agave nectar, which I already love and which has a low glycemic index and comes from an actual plant. And when that's not available, I'm just going drink my iced tea or whatever plain. I don't even mind it without the sweetener, I've just gotten so used to having it in there, you know?

So, yes. Making a few changes (so far, so good) and hoping to stick to them. Have you guys done anything like this lately? If so, please share—I'd love to hear.

P.S. This is not to say that I'm not going to have the occasional fancy latte or Coke Slurpee. Treats are still good, you know. Hee.

Photo originally from this post, one of my favorites I've ever written.