Focus

How do you manage what's on your plate when you feel life pulling you in lots of different directions?  Take this post for instance.  I'm trying to write a bit about focusing and my phone is blowing up, Poesy is showing me things, and I keep glancing at my to-do list for the day.  In a busy life, how do we make our brains stop skipping from one thing to the next to the next?  Here are some things that help me stop and really pour myself into what I'm doing:

1. Make that list, but don't let that list rule you.  To-do lists are great right?  They help us remember all the things we need to accomplish on any given day, week, or month.  Lists are totally helpful, they really are...  until they rule you.  Sometimes I get so obsessed with accomplishing everything on my list, that I feel overwhelmed and can't properly focus on what I'm doing.  My brain is skipping to the next thing I need to be doing and then jumping to what's coming after that.  This goes hand-in-hand with my next suggestion...

2. One thing at a time, kid.  Yeah.  We have a ton of stuff to do in life, right?  Go here, do this, see them, pick up that... instead of constantly looking ahead, grab one thing off of your list and don't think about the rest.  Block that junk out.  You'll get to what's important, trust me.  It will be there waiting for you.  Tackle one thing at a time.  This really helps me with that "overwhelmed by the to-do list" thing I was just talking about.

3. Prioritize.  I think this can go one of two ways, depending on your personality type.  For me, putting the things I'm not that excited about at the top of my priority list ensures that my procrastinating self can't spend the last half of my day bouncing around all the things I'm not that into, and basically accomplishing nothing.  I'm always more gung-ho and geared up in the first half of the work day, and I know this about myself, so I zap through the more taxing tasks while I have my brain all pumped up to do so.

If you aren't a procrastinator, you might find the opposite to be true.  I have friends who do the more pleasurable tasks first, and find that those things help motivate them to tackle the harder jobs later.

 4. Eliminate distractions.   This one seems like a no-brainer, right?  Turn off the phone, Katie.  Close the To-Do list for the time being, Katie.  Those emails will be there when you come back for them, Katie.  For some reason, this is the easiest solution and the one I forget the most.  "Oh!  I need to answer so-and-so's email.  Oh!  I have two songs to learn for band practice tonight!  Crap!  I was supposed to finish that diy project this week!"  My brain is constantly skipping from one thing I need to do to the next.  Instead of answering that text in the middle of that business email, turn off the phone (or whatever) so you can actually pay attention to that ONE task you're actually trying to do.

5. Remind yourself that there's no such thing as absolute balance.  I think a big reason I can have a hard time focusing on what I'm doing is because of self-applied pressure to balance family, work, hobbies, friends, etc.  Most of us can find SOME type of balance for most of this, but I don't believe there's a perfect balance to be achieved.  Even if I get myself in a specific routine, life happens.  Extra things pop up.  Friends call on a whim to hang out.  My kids need extra attention one day.  Let the pressure of "finding balance" go and just do what you can!  Life is not supposed to be a well-oiled machine.  It's random and messy and full of surprises.  That's usually when the best things happen, anyway!

Anyway, these are some things that have helped me really focus lately.  Of course, I often need reminded of these points, but I've been trying hard to be very present in whatever I'm doing.

What are some things you do to help you focus when you feel scattered or overwhelmed?  Let's talk about it!  xo.

**Sandals from Bali ELF.

Good Memories

I've been spending quite a bit of time digging through folders of photos since my hard drive crashed.  I lost quite a lot of photos and work stuff, but it's been making me extra thankful for what was able to be recovered.  These are just some random photos from the last couple of years that make my heart really happy.

**Some of my favorite records all laid out for a photoshoot for Mollie Makes.
**This photo is from a random rainy day that ended up being really, really good.
**Planting things with the girls is one of my absolute favorite things in the world.
**Pretty little Poesy picking pretty little flowers for me.
**Teaching Hope to embroider.
**A fun photoshoot I had with Allison.
**Destressing at the park with the family.
**A very good Mother's Day.

Happy Monday, friends.  I hope your week kicks off to a good start.

Snapshots

In the spirit of keeping things real, I'll just be honest and say- a good bit of our life has been really tough for the last month or so.  These snapshots of shiny moments truly were happy bits, but Hope has been going through some anxiety issues lately and it has been very hard on everyone.  I don't want to go in to too much because it isn't really my story to tell, but it's nice to just say, "Hey, life is good AND life is hard, blog friends."  BUT, if life didn't have the hard stuff, we'd never grow as people.  I try to constantly remind myself of that whenever I'm feeling more than spent.  Here are some of the happy things from the past few weeks:

*I made these cats for a sweet couple a month or two ago.  Wedding cake toppers are some of my favorite things to make.
*Since it's gotten really cold here Google has kinda sorta become an indoor cat.  You can't leave a sweet cat outside to freeze, right???
*Poesy is 100% personality.  Have you heard the term "threenager"?  I'm pretty sure someone saw into the future and coined that after experiencing all that is Poe.
*Okay, this may sound like the most boring thing ever, but in times where I feel overwhelmed by life, I take a breath, fill my water can, and just enjoy the moment.  I mean, of course I water my plants when I don't feel overwhelmed as well, but it's seriously calming for me.
*I helped a sweet friend paint her outdoor furniture THE DAY before Missouri decided it loved winterish weather more than fallish weather.  We scored at the buzzer or some sort of sporty analogy I have no business using.  ;)
*Our house is always overrun with music gear in inappropriate places right now, but I swiped the rug from the dining room and put it in the living room.  I'm loving the color it brings to the space.

Anyway, I hope you all have a super duper weekend!  Many of you have emailed me asking about ornaments this year, and I AM going to be selling them.  There won't be as many as last year, but I would be too sad to skip making them this year.  It's something I always look forward to!

Happy Friday, friends.  xo.

Snapshots: iPhone Edition

**Lips sweater from Emerging Thoughts and Bob's Burgers and Simpsons pouches from Danny Brito's shop.

Friday, you're here again already???  It's been another crazy/good/weird/exhausting week, but I have the weekend off (what?!).  I'm taking a trip to see see an out of town friend, catch a Jenny Lewis show AND a Cotton Jones show, and do some serious vintage shopping.  It's going to be a really good weekend!  I hope you all get some relaxing in!  xo.  Katie

Snapshots: Photo Inspiration

This photo.  Johnny snapped this sometime last week and it was all I needed to feel my photography inspiration come rushing back.  This photo was such a lovely reminder of why I adore all the tiny bits and pieces captured inside of the camera on a daily basis.  I'm so thankful that I can look back on moments like this, moments that are gone in the blink of an eye, and feel them again.  Thanks, camera.  Thanks, husband.  Thanks, tiny person who keeps sneaking into my bed at night.

Happy Monday, friends!

Snapshots

It's been a good and full summer.  I'm pretty sure we've never had a busier one, but when you fill your time so full with good things and great people, it's okay that you didn't take a break.  At least, I'm okay with it.

*Poesy/Daddy morning snuggles
*Hope and Poe had a living room tea party
*Candy shop kisses
*Breakfast with Johnny
*Backseat roadtrips
*Swings with Penny
*Flea Market, yeah

I hope you're having a great start to your week!  xo.

We Love Donuts, Yes We Do

We took the girls on a little donut date this week.  We usually let them pick donuts one day out of the week (it used to always be a Saturday tradition, but a we're away from home more these days).  I stuffed my camera in my bag, not sure if I would use it or not, but I'm really glad I pulled it out. Sometimes the best moments on camera are the super simple ones.  You know, like donut dates or breakfast dates.

Oh, and Poesy carried that donut box like precious cargo until we got home.  She knows what's important.  ;))

Happy Thursday, friends!

**Backpack by Bali ELF, glasses are BonLook, coin purse by Misala Handmade

The Tale of the Cats

Hope's grandma got her this little curio shelf and a box full of little cats for Christmas.  When Hope was first unwrapping all of the cats, I could tell she appreciated the gesture, but didn't really "get" the gift.  It wasn't until we hung this little shelf on her wall that she got really excited about it.  She searched her room for more cats (because this shelf is a "cats only" club) and whenever we go thrifting or on trips, she's constantly searching for the perfect kitties to place in her shelf.  I know it's something she'll cherish and remember fondly from her childhood one day when she's all grown.

I see this warped little shelf filled with cats as a classic case of "sometimes you don't even know what you want until it's handed it to you".  I think we can all related with that at certain points in our lives.  You are handed something in life with a big question mark on your face, and over time you end up realizing just how special it is.  Some of my best relationships/experiences/jobs started out like this.  Life can be so funny that way.

Snapshots

Life lately looks like: irregular sleeping schedules due to a little bit of baby insomnia, lots and lots of music, sunny but chilly days, and cleaning/decorating marathons.  I blame that last bit on beginning of the year motivation.

Also, it's my birthday weekend and I couldn't be more excited to spend it with family and friends.  Birthdays are the best!  Happy Friday!