Things I Couldn't Live Without

I love being inspired by other slicers and I read this one about 13 Things I Couldn't Live Without - Classroom Edition. It got me thinking -- it's a fun exercise. I hope you try it! 

My Napping Blanket

Yes. Yes I am a 40-something-year-old woman who has a napping blanket. A blanky, I guess. It's one of my kids old comforters and there's something about it that is just perfection. It's not too heavy, instead creating the perfect cloud cover when I lie down for a mid-day snooze. I'm a habitual napper, too, so the napping blanket gets a good bit of use. In fact, I don't even bother to fold it and put it back in the closet. I just bunch it up and leave it on my chair. 

I only take naps in our bed, but very rarely under the covers. Enter the napping blanket. Keeps me cozy without getting the sheets dirty. 

The Damn Dog

My oldest son Jacob begged for a dog. We thought we were depriving him of a critical life experience by not having a dog. Finally, in a moment of weakness, my husband, a dedicated non-dog person, agreed to a dog. 

The kids and I did our research, picked out a dog. We got him home and the first night was so sweet. Sleeping on the couch next to the crate, I heard Jacob whisper "Welcome to your new home, Ollie." 

Now? Two years later? The dog is currently curled under my feet, never more than a foot away from me. Walks? Me. Training? Me. Food? Me. Baths? Me. We are the cliche come to life. The kids love the dog and play with him in fits and starts. The worst part? I love the damn dog so he's not going anywhere. 

Bird Feeders

It's a rite of passage, I think, to fall in fascination with bird feeders. I love watching the birds flock to them. I love how the finches devour the food. I love how they nest in the bird house. I even love the cacophony in the trees this time of year. 

Spiral Notebooks 

I didn't mean to collect notebooks. It just happened. I blame it on Ohio Writing Project. Each summer I'd fill a spiral with notes from the most amazing graduate classes anyone could ever take. And when the summer was over, the spirals were a reference book -- one full of lesson ideas, writing models, and inspired ideas.  

In my work as an instructional coach now, I have notebooks full of notes, to-do lists, things I need to follow up on. My most treasured gift came from my colleague Brandi who is an expert gift-giver. She culled through my social media posts about coaching and created this beautiful notebook. It's the perfect size. It has all my favorite moments on the cover, and I treasure every page. I'll be so sad when it's full and takes it's place on the shelf of spirals. 

Firepit

We live in a pretty modest house by middle class standards. Built in the 70s, it has regular old 8 feet ceilings, laundry in the basement, and cracks in the foundation. It's got plenty of space and beautiful upgrades, but it ain't fancy. About 7 years ago, though, during a patio installation, the contractor talked us into a fire pit. It's the cadillac of fire pits. They had to literally dig a perimeter and then bring in heavy machinery to install the fire pit. 

And we love it. We've spent so many nights gathered around that circle, looking at stars, watching satellites, making s'mores. I think a fire is hypnotizing and I can't wait for our yard to dry out enough to use it again.