February is my fave

February is one of my favorite months. The only thing that could make February better is if my birthday were in it. But all of these things happened in February: I met Dan, We closed on our house, and I had Sweet Pea. Also, the days start growing just a little bit longer this month and that always makes me happy.I didn't create any new year's resolutions this year (not really my thing) but I did set an intention for the year, and that is to focus on joy. Meaning: I spend too much time wishing I could be "productive" or wanting to "finish up just one more thing" during that weird time of day between picking my girls up at the bus stop and dinnertime when they don't exactly need me for anything but they also need me for everything (rides, playdate arrangements, snack requests, iPad requests, book order requests, "SHE HIT ME!", etc.).I feel them needing me less all the time as they grow into themselves and while that is exactly what they should be doing, I also wish I could stop time a little bit. Being a WAHM mom is awesome because I have so much flexibility but it also means my office is always right there, beckoning me. So that's why joy. I just want to focus on the joy of getting to be with them. A month in I'd give myself a B.In other updates...WritingThere are Plenty of Benefits You Can Expect from Barre Classes. A Ballerina Body Isn’t One of Them (The Washington Post) Truth: This one took longer than I think it should have, due mainly to my fear I was going to piss someone off.  It was like all my self-doubt created a forcefield between me and my laptop. Solving the problem was almost too simple though— I stepped away from my desk, came back, and wrote all the ideas I wanted to cover on a piece of paper (I often find writing in longhand helps when I'm stuck). Then (still with the pen and paper)  I grouped them in an order that made sense. Also, my editor offered some helpful revisions once I turned it in.5 Indoor Cycling Myths Fitness Instructors Would Like to Shatter (The Washington Post) This one had been kicking around in my head for an embarrassingly long time so I was happy to finally bring it to life.Sociology Course Builds Bridges Between Students and Disability Community (Whitman College Magazine) I got to write for Dan's college alumni magazine and I loved it. The young woman featured in the story and the project she's spearheading give me legit hope for the future.ReadingThe F*ck It Diet by Caroline Dooner.Excellent. You can read more of my thoughts on GoodreadsHealthy as F*ck by Oonagh DuncanI swear I read books that don't have f*ck in the title. I liked it, there were lots of great tips but it pretends not to be promoting diet culture when, in fact, it does. Meh. My full review is here on Goodreads.PostingHere's a link to my most popular recent LinkedIn post...