Happy March, friends! Phew! Between the Cricut Joy frenzy and Toolbox launch day, the past few weeks have been a bit of a doozy. I am so excited to see the calendar flip to March because this is a bit of a “recovery” month for me while I take a break from big projects and hard deadlines and focus instead on getting some little-but-necessary projects done around the house and on the back end of the blog! I’ve got a really great variety of blog posts coming your way this month (pantry reveal, laundry room organization ideas, a peak at Sam’s bedroom, and a wallpaper project in our dining room!). But first, let’s grab a warm cup of something good and catch up on life behind-the-blog!

Catch up on past Coffee Break posts HERE!

My Biggest “Pinch Me” Moment Yet!

By now, you guys likely know that I was one of the lucky few to be part of the official Cricut Joy launch. Even typing those words now is still a little surreal. Why? Because the whole experience (you know: big favorite brand flies you to their headquarters under an oath of secrecy to give you an exclusive peek at their latest, top secret machine and then trusts you to share it with the world!) just doesn’t happen to me. Well…I guess now it has happened to me. But until this crazy experience came along, these types of opportunities were only something I’d watched bigger, better, cooler bloggers do…and never dreamed in a million years I’d get to experience too.

In the lifespan of my blog, this opportunity ranks pretty close to the top. You guys…I’ve been creating with Cricut machines for almost 10 years. I was writing Cricut content and sharing my projects and tutorials here looong before Cricut even knew who I was. The whole experience felt like such a full circle moment, and the fact that they chose me was such a huge validation in a field where I often feel like I am floundering and invisible. Similar to what I described when we finally hired childcare (I talked about it here last month), this experience was another really tangible example that the many years of tears, mistakes, and just putting my head down and doing my thing were so, so worth it!

All that said, I have to admit my trip to Salt Lake City was one of the scarier things I’ve done in my blogging “career.” There’s a reason I write a blog and you don’t really see me on Instagram stories or videos. I am a true blue introvert. Walking into a situation where I don’t know a soul, have to make small chat, and demonstrate my know-how was a pretty tall order for a gal who predominantly stays home with her small children and crafts and writes. I reeeaaallly had to hype myself up that I am competent and creative enough, and ultimately decided to put my “big girl panties on” and embrace every moment. I did not let myself shy away from conversations or stand in a corner and go unnoticed. Instead, I went to every event, I started up conversations with strangers (including bloggers I’ve long looked up to from afar), and I chatted with Cricut staff on things I’d love to see. It was suuuuper fun to get a peek behind the Cricut company, but what I am most proud of was that I was there. I physically, mentally and emotionally showed up. Yes…I got to see and play with one of the coolest little Cricut machines ever…but more importantly, I held my head high (in a situation where I could have easily let myself blend into the wallpaper) and left with a bolstered confidence that will carry me forward for a long, long time!

Pssst – Speaking of Cricut machines, I did want to quickly share a page I published comparing the three main Cricut machines. It wasn’t a blog post, so you may not have seen it come across your feeds. In case you’re curious or are strongly considering a Cricut machine and don’t know which one to buy, check out my guide here!

Reality Check

So February was the first month we had help with the kids while I worked for 12 dedicated hours/week. This was a pretty big deal for me, and I even proclaimed last month that “With so much dedicated time, wait until you see what I can get done.” What I really should have said is: “With so much extra time, watch how much more I pile on my plate!” Admittedly, February had a lot of extra tasks with the Cricut Joy launch, but I still found myself burning the midnight oil more than I expected to. But it’s my own fault. Greg calls me the “Queen of Expanding Project Scope,” and he’s so right. (I did decide to paint the laundry room at the very last minute , after all). I have never lacked on ideas (only time), and I really thought by adding in some child-free, dedicated work hours, I’d be able to do all the things and still magically get back my evenings and weekends.

Anyone else laughing to themselves?

February was definitely a reality check: I’m still one woman; there is still a finite amount of hours in the day; and there is still a limit on what I can feasibly accomplish while maintaining some sort of work/life balance. While I can absolutely do more than I could before, I still can’t do all the things. Shucks. So when I sat down to do my March PowerSheets, my main goal was to intentionally plan and schedule the things that can feasibly get done in the time I have. That’s surely not a revolutionary concept, but it’s definitely not intuitive for me either. I am always more ambitious than I have time for and then often feel like I am scrambling to keep up. It’s a bit of an exhausting cycle, so this month, I’m getting real about how long things take (always longer than I think); eliminating time wasters (hello social media and Amazon); and keeping my project creep in serious check (no more late-night painting sessions…although our laundry room did turn out so darling)! I’ll keep you posted on how March goes!

Are You Getting My Newsletter Yet?

So I don’t mean to keep bringing this up month after month, but I just want to make sure you are on my email list! Why? Because for the first time in…umm…ever…I am having so much FUN writing my newsletter! In case you missed the recent announcement, I completely revamped not only the look of my weekly email but also how I approach it. I now use it as a mini blog post (called The Sunday Short), complete with ideas and pictures not really found anywhere else on my site.

These posts are short and sweet, and (if I do say so myself) super helpful. So far, I’ve written about:

• How to easily refresh your recipes
• How we have white couches with 3 young kids (below left)
• Why I no longer buy throw pillows (and what I do instead) (below right)
• Laundry hacks that are making the job easier
• Using pouches to organize puzzles (below middle)

 

If you’re not yet receiving my email on Sunday mornings, use the form on the bottom of this page (the one with the big green button) to get on my list!

Helpful Posts for March

With the calendar flipping to March, warmer weather, Spring Break, and Spring cleaning are all on the horizon (yaaaaay!). Below are some helpful cleaning posts to get you inspired…

 

…and below are some  helpful projects and resources if you are planning a Spring Break getaway!

 

That’s all I’ve got for you this month! I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Tuesday with a look at our newly organized pantry!