I absolutely cannot believe the length of my absence. To say that I’ve had no free time since I last posted would not be far from the truth. We did manage a couple trips out of town since then, all of which the laptop had to tag along for a few work-related tasks. Anywho..

I do have a few things to tell you about.  A fun craft I’m finishing up, a couple recipes I’ve enjoyed, and some reflections from my life and work over the past few months. But in the immediate future I need to ask something of you, dearest remaining blog readers. My dad is having a major heart surgery next week at Cleveland Clinic. And without posting details for all the internet to see, just know that it’s pretty serious, will require a long recovery, and I would so very much appreciate your prayers. Provided all goes well (and I’m trusting it will) I will be traveling back along with my husband, brother, and his girlfriend on Christmas Eve to spend the holiday with family. The surgery is next Thursday. And I’m a little nervous. (Admittedly perhaps more nervous than he is. I have a bit of a hospital aversion.)

Thanks, friends.

The truth is, by hosting this space, I want you to think I’m really awesome. You may get the impression that I twirl around the kitchen in my apron simultaneously whipping up a batch of salted caramel brownies from scratch while preparing my two angelic children completely nutritious and well-rounded meals, served on color-coordinated plates. In the evenings, you may surmise that I put them to bed at a totally reasonable hour in time for me to sew a skirt for my daughter and a toy for my son, and finish that in time to wrap up everything on my work to-do list before lovingly talking to then drifting off to sleep beside my handsome husband.

In reality, I make things totally from scratch a couple times a week, I feed my children peanut butter sandwiches and Chick-Fil-A, there are dishes piled in the sink, I craft when I have the time (rarely!) I work when I have deadlines looming (always!) and sometimes Evan and I go days without having a meaningful conversation. He is still handsome, though.

This blog represents what my life would look like if I had no responsibilities or obligations. My lack of posts represents that – while I’m happy with my life – it is full of responsibilities and obligations that, ahem, get in the way of my hobbies.

I’m not a professional blogger. I do this for fun, as a way to connect with people and share what little itty bit of knowledge I may have regarding food or crafts or books or life. However, I know it can be frustrating to check a site and never see it updated. So I have a question – would it be better for me to close shop? Let myself totally off the hook? Or should I just post when I can, however (in)frequently I can and let myself be ok with that? Do you care if I only post once or twice a month or have you stopped reading altogether?

Please note, I don’t at ALL mean this post as a cry for sympathy or compliments – I am truly just curious and trying to decide what to do with myself when I beat myself up over not posting more frequently.

Once I even “ran” the test mile in 17 minutes. 17 Minutes! I mean, really Kelli, you can walk it faster than that.

So I’ve never been a runner. Once when I was trying to get more healthy in preparation of a hoped (and then later, successful) first pregnancy, I joined the gym. I’ve always enjoyed walking, so I spent a reasonable amount of time on the treadmill. I decided to try to run for, like, two minutes, and made it. Then I increased to three and actually got myself down to something close to a 10-minute mile. Then I got pregnant and had to put a halt to the running because I (being the cardiovascular underachiever) could not keep my heart rate under the recommended limit past a brisk walk.

After my first baby I found myself pregnant again and the running was not top on my to-do list. But a funny thing had happened in that brief period – I actually enjoyed it.

All this to tell you I have joined the gym again, and I’ve been running for the past month. And yesterday I ran two miles. Two very, very slow miles (13 minutes each) – but it was two successive uninterrupted miles. And I loved it.

With a huge thanks to Mumford & Sons, Adele and Amos Lee, I was able to push my way through to the 2-mile marker on the treadmill. Turns out my music selections have a huge impact on my motivation, so I created a “Work It Out” playlist. I love the rhythm of it (and running along to the beat). I love looking down through the crack between the treadmill’s panel and bar and seeing my feet push one in front of the other over and over again. I like feeling the air fill my lungs fully and my legs pushing back and my back rising straight. Mostly, I like being able to do some that, for so long, I dreaded.

I am finding myself wanting to just go run. Today, because I had pushed myself so hard yesterday, I planned to just walk. But then Adele came on and I just could not help myself – I had to run for at least that song! (I fear I may be out in public and hear my Work It Out songs and through repeated conditioning take off jogging.) I’m not planning on running a 5K anytime soon (I mean, it is the middle of summer, and – let’s face it – I don’t like heat), but for now, it’s the one thing I can do where my head feels quiet, my midsection feels like it might someday shrink, and my goal is only keep going.

Perfect Black Pants
I needed a well-fitting pair of black pants. You know, trousers, for work. I had probably tried on close to 15 pair from at least five different stores to no avail. I even bought a pair and then returned them. No luck. I mentioned my quandry to my Aunt, who suggested I look at Dress Barn. Now, I don’t usually shop at dress barn because I don’t frequently wear dresses, and because, well, it has “Barn” in the name, and not in a cute, kitchy way. But I was desperate. So I followed her advice and tried on about five more pair of pants. Until I found these and immediately fell in love, demonstrated by my jumping up and down with glee in the fitting room. No, I am not lying. A good pair of pants does that to me. The reasons I love these pants:

• They have tummy control. I had two children within 13 months. I think that’s sufficient enough explanation as to why my tummy feels out of control most days. That, and the copious amounts of sweet tea I can’t seem to give up.
• They are a comfortable, not-easily-wrinkled fabric that is machine washable.
• They fit like yoga pants. I repeat: they fit like yoga pants.

The only caveat is that they have no pockets, zippers or buttons at the top (see yoga pant reference) so these are not to be worn with short or tucked-in tops. Lucky for me I never wear short or tucked in tops so this is a non-issue.

Black Wedges
I also needed a pair of stylish but comfortable black shoes for wearing to the weddings I photograph. My old shoes look much too rough for wearing to weddings any longer, so I’ve relegated them to grocery store runs. But these… these are so comfortable, and so cute, it’s almost too good to be true. Except it isn’t. I wore them nearly all day last Saturday and they still felt great.

Milk Bottle Measuring Cups
Enough about my wardrobe. I ran across these measuring cups when I was visiting Anthropologie on my trip to see the Pioneer Woman a few weeks back.  I loved them. I loved them so much I almost purchased them, and then realized that would be silly. I have two perfectly good sets of measuring cups and not much counter space left on our already smallish kitchen. But I still love them. I just don’t have a place for them in my house, but they will always have a place in my heart.

Clarisonic Facial Cleanser
I received a Clarisonic facial cleaning brush as a gift. I honestly didn’t know whether I’d like it or not. Turns out I like it…quite a bit.  If you’re interested in purchasing one, I recommend calling up Alex Alexa, a local medispa I have worked with for years.

However, if the Clarisonic brand is out of your budget, Olay makes a version that’s less than $35 and gets great reviews. Even Sally Beauty Supply carries a similar system. Since I’ve only used the Clarisonic I can’t say whether the others work as well, but it might be worth a shot.

When I was 12, I had gone on vacation with my dad, step-mom, grandmother and aunt to Florida. During our stay, we spent a day or two visiting my great-uncle Harwood. (Yes, really. He had a brother named Narwood, and another named Shin. Somehow my grandfather got away with, simply, John.) Harwood was one of the most kind, gentle people I remember ever meeting. At 12, I was already a bookworm, so finding this little gem on the shelf helped me occupy most of the visiting time at his house. Other memories include eating colby cheese and loving it, and going to a restaurant where the chicken and dumplings I ordered consisted of one extremely large, and surprisingly tasty, dumpling covered in chicken and gravy. It appears my kind regards for food goes way back.

Anyway, I distinctly remember during this visit him asking how my mom was. I was shocked! My parents had divorced just a year prior, and I was in the room with my dad and new step-mom. The question took me by surprise, but I could tell he genuinely wanted to know. I told him she was doing well, and he asked me to let her know he loved her and was asking about her. This meant a great deal to me, because I was still trying to navigate just what was and was not appropriate to talk about in this new situation, and typically erred on the side of awkward silence or snarky responses. (I’m sure I was just lovely during this time. You can ask my parents.) But uncle Harwood erred on the side of kindness.

When we left, he gave me the book, and wrote a very, very meaningful note in the front, starting with, “I love you!” I cannot see that book without thinking about how much that visit meant to me, and how a small act of kindness really can impact a person for the rest of their life. A good reminder when much of my day-to-day life seems routine that I can still have an impact.

On the stove, there is a pot of soup bubbling, full of summer vegetables made possible by the underrated freezer. On the counter a small loaf of bread rising, waiting eagerly for the hot oven to bring it to fullness.

Outside the sun is shining gloriously, and while it’s cold outside, the snow fallen earlier this week is making the light magnify, filling my house with a glow I haven’t seen since October.

Any minute, my longest-time friend and her family will be here for photos (nearly an hour late, and I love her for her predictability, among other things), and then to join us for lunch. Our kids will play together and giggle, run, jump, hit, cry, and share.

On the stereo, I have my “Good Day” playlist going –  effective on not-so-good days for coaxing me out of whatever funk I’m in, which is not remotely necessary today, and only enhances my gratitude.

Today is full of light, full of good things, and I am full of thankfulness.

I happened to be at a convention that weekend. A Key Club convention, to be exact. I remember getting the call on a Saturday afternoon, and decided to stay since we were leaving the next morning. Soon after learning the news, we had a general session where I happened to be seated beside Jackie, a lovely girl, a senior – one year ahead of me in school. We weren’t close friends, although I have since wondered why not, and suppose it had more to do with the fact that she was an entire year ahead (which seemed to be of consequence at the time) and we didn’t share many activities or circles of friends outside of this.

I remember being very sad, and feeling very out of place. There were hundreds of teenagers in the room, and I was fairly certain I was the only one who had just lost a family member. I was choking back tears when – in the middle of the session – Jackie reached over and held my hand. At first I was stunned – she barely knew me! I remember feeling overwhelmed by that simple act of compassion, and now more than 15 years later still think at how bold yet gentle this move was. Had I been sitting beside my best friend, I wouldn’t have expected such tender affection.

I don’t know that I said thank you. I know I didn’t talk about it with anyone afterward, but I never forgot it. This week I was driving in my car feeling nostalgic (am I the only one who gets that way around the holidays?) and remembering all sorts of things from high school and college when this flashed through my mind.

Jackie, wherever you are, thank you. It has been over 15 years now and I have never forgotten the kindness you showed me that day. May I be so bold as to go out of my way to be generous with compassion, and to show grace and tenderness to those hurting around me.

Note only was there a cute thank you note, but inside was all of THIS!

Which included this awesome little poem: (“Roses are read, sugar is sweet, and so are you.”)

A picture of a doll with a badge that says, “I say ma-ma. I go to sleep.” Ahh…if it were only that easy.

And postcards – like this one. From FRANCE!

So thank you, Steph, for your thank you packet. It made my day. Every time I see it I think… this. is. awesome.

A funny sidenote: Evan’s dad was here when I opened the package. I was going through each piece excitedly. The Dailey’s are known for their practicality, so naturally he asked, “What are they for?” I had to answer, “Well. I don’t know. She just knew I’d like them.” So thanks, Steph, for knowing I’d like love these old scraps of paper.

I’ll try not to let it happen again. All work and no play makes Kelli a grumpy girl.

So a summary of my last couple months:

Reading
I read Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott and very much enjoyed it. The same author of Bird by Bird, which I absolutely adored, this was a memoir of her journey to faith. She’s honest – painfully so at times – but really, would you want a memoir author to be anything else?

I also read Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller, also author of A Million Miles… that is still holding out as perhaps my favorite book of all time. It was well-written, and worth a read, but not where I’d start if I were just picking up Donald Miller.

Food
I have a few things to tell you about some of the food I had while on (real – not just blogging) vacation. But that’s another post. What I can suggest are a few recipes I’ve tried and give an enthusiastic thumbs up to:
Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies from A Cozy Kitchen
Lia’s Butter Toffee over at Tasty Kitchen – with sea salt, please
Paula Deen’s Corn Casserole – six ingredients (three of which are pre-packaged) and one dish – make it. That’s an order.

Craft
I made a skirt out of a vintage tablecloth I found. It turned out great! I hope to post soon.
I made Sydney a friendship bracelet.
That’s about it.

Abode
For Christmas, Evan has made me a new desk. Now if I could just sell the one I have so I can fit it in my office, that’d be a great post.

Life
Yes, my business has been busy. I hope at the end of the year it looks profitable, because otherwise I’m going to be pretty discouraged. However, my kids are healthy and growing, my family is doing well, and I’m looking forward to the holidays.

So what have you been up to while I’ve been gone?

If you know anything about me, you may know I put a lot of pressure on myself. In my head, I say “I should” quite a bit…as in, a few times an hour. And on my list of “shoulds” is that I “should” post on my blog at least twice a week. Now, this is a completely self-imposed goal, I understand. Not to mention I write on this blog for totally personal reasons and I know I have the right to post as often or as infrequently as I want. This isn’t part of my job, I don’t make any money from it, it’s purely to share some recipes, home and craft inspiration, to keep track of what I’ve read, and occasionally to share some thoughts.

So, my faithful readers, I will be back. I even have a mental list of posts I want to work on when I have some spare time. Just not this week. Or maybe not even this month.

I assure you it’s only temporary, but I felt like I owed you (whoever you are) a bit of an explanation. So until then, stay well. I’ll see you soon.