Diary No. 23

It has felt SO good to get back into a good routine for the year after taking an extended holiday break. There were so many odds and ends that I kind of just… ditched. I finally feel back to normal. My desk and office closet, on the other hand, are a MESS. I think that’s going to be my weekend project…

Here’s a peek at what I’ve been up to over the past couple of weeks. (Or at least what my camera roll has to show for it!)

I’ve been wearing this sweater SO MUCH. (Heads up: It’s WAY on sale this weekend!!!) It’s extra comfortable and looks great with jeans, black jeans, and a little dressier with black pants.

I finally taught myself how to use the embroidery arm of my sewing machine. It took me forever to read through the manual and figure it all out, but I feel a lot more confident with it. I have to say, my machine’s manual is FANTASTIC. Like every time I had a question, I could flip through and find the exact answer. I don’t find that to always be the case with owner’s manuals.

I put my name on this Crab & Cleek tote that I’ve had for a while and loved how it came out. Now I’m thinking that nothing in my house is safe…. 😜

I also got a preview of Sanditon (out now on PBS!). Maddie and I met up in the East Village and I introduced her to Mimi Cheng’s (the best dumplings!!!) before heading to the theater. We both LOVED it. The series is based on an unfinished Jane Austen novel and takes place in an English seaside town. The costumes were 👌🏻 and it was pretty quirky and funny. If you are missing Downton Abbey– this might be a great replacement for you.

Then it was time to go to Stowe! It’s my favorite place to ski on the East Coast because the town is super cute and the mountain has something for everyone. I almost always prefer to ski by myself because I’m always paranoid that I’m going to slow people down, but Mike’s sisters and I had the BEST time together exploring the mountain. Maybe a girls only ski trip is in our future??

I am attempting to not buy any new clothes until spring, but I let myself make ONE exception for the Minnow Swim bathing suit for women. (I was afraid it would sell out by the time my spending freeze was over.) I LIVED in mine last year and it made getting ready for the beach (and subsequently spending time at the beach) so much more bearable for me. I am adamant about protecting my skin from the sun and I’m so excited to see brands making sun-safe suits like this one.

A few notes based on questions I received over DM. The sizing is like your clothing size, not your swimsuit size. I think it runs pretty long (which is great for people like me with long torsos or tall people), so if you’re shorter definitely consider going down. There’s also no built-in bra. I think you could wear something underneath if that made you feel more comfortable, but the back has a long zipper that I feel gives you a Spanx-like fit… it sucks you in nicely and holds everything in place.

Slowly but surely getting more and more light throughout the day. Even though we’re heading into the colder months of winter (why is February the worst?), I’ll take having more natural light! December’s darkness really gets to me… and it’s so mentally refreshing to know we’re on the “the days are getting longer” side of the coin right now.