After a year and a half...

 I'm back, I guess. 

SO much happened, and honestly, last year was one of the hardest ever for me, and only a little bit of it had to do with the fact that my little town was nearly devastated by Hurricane Helene. One of my dear friends passed away, my mentor had a bunch of health problems (thankfully, all solved now). I also dealt with probably the worst anxiety I'd had since the loss of my first baby in 2005. 

All of THAT said, I'm in a much better mental space. 2025 has been pretty kind to me, and I appreciate that and thank God for it, because 2024 was such a mess. 

The girls are good (Ella is EIGHTEEN, turning NINETEEN this year...Goose is seven, turning eight). I'm pretty tight-lipped on the socials (though I do hide out in Instagram stories and get pretty vulnerable there) about relationships (but just please know that I am pretty darn happy) and the like, and that's not likely to change here, but it's nice to interact and have a place to write down some of my thoughts or try recipes or post pictures and read other people's blogs. I didn't realize how much I missed that. 

After flower season ended (but does it ever really truly end?) right before Christmas, I told myself I was going to slow the heck down and I think I've done a pretty good job there. The girls enjoy me having actual time for things like sitting DOWN to eat a meal and watching movies and long walks. And even when dahlia season starts up again (next month, WHAT?!) I'm going to make it a point to take time for me and not overextend myself like I have for the last near-decade. Don't get me wrong, it's gonna be a wild time and flower season is gonna be insanely busy, but I'm going to make it a point to carve out that time for me and family and people I love. 

I'm gonna end this because I also don't want to spend my entire day on a computer, but I'll leave you with some pictures of things lately. 

The girls and I started attending church again in June of last year, and it's been nice. I'd been out of church for nearly a decade, and there were reasons for it, but I'm glad to be someplace where I feel my children and I are safe. 

Goose has become quite the little artist and I so enjoy her doodles on her tablet and on paper (will post some of those soon) This is a little cat and a duck having a laugh. 

The mountains are still insanely beautiful and I'm blessed every day to live in this place. 

Until next time.