All The Things, December 2023
Plus, a little story about waiting for a jump rope
I wasn’t going to hit publish on this today, but for some unknown reason, Create Anyway is currently on sale for $11.57 on Amazon?!! Huh? Why? How? No clue but I have *never ever* seen it this cheap and needed you to know ASAP. Forget all other links in this post! THIS IS A STEAL AND A GREAT LAST MINUTE GIFT FOR THE MOMS IN YOUR LIFE! Already done Christmas shopping? You beautiful overachiever, you. This would also be a great time to snag a copy (or three!) to keep on hand for Mother’s Day! Birthdays! Baby shower gifts! You can get two copies for less than the regular price of one! You can get three copies for $34.71! This is cheaper than my author discount! HOW IS THIS MATH EVEN REAL?! How long will it last? Nobody knows! Run!
(Alright, I’m done yelling.)
(Seriously though, thanks for supporting my writing ❤️)
(And now, back to regularly scheduled programming.)
Presley and I are walking hand-in-hand across the parking lot toward World Market when I remind her of our mission: we are shopping for a friend’s stocking—we are not shopping for ourselves.
“But,” I tell her, “As a special thank you for helping me today, Mommy will let you pick out one thing for your stocking, okay?”
Her face lights up as she skips over a crack in the cement, her glitter boots landing with a thud.
“Okay!!!” she says, squeezing my hand.
We stroll through the store selecting shower steamers and face masks and a small amber candle. Presley helps me select items for my friend, while simultaneously searching for her own gift. At one point she grabs a box of markers for $12.99 and reminds me that some of her markers at home are dried out.
She’s not wrong, but I also know I can get washable markers at Target for under $5, so I talk her out of that idea and nudge both of us toward the little bins at the checkout filled with cheaper items. Her eyes immediately flock to a tangle of pink and purple jump ropes.
“Oh mom, what about one of these?”
I nod with approval. The jump ropes are only $3.99, not to mention any item that stays outside is a winner in my book. She opts for the purple one, and places it in our basket. I remind her again—for the third time—that the jump rope will go in her stocking and she won’t get to play with it until Christmas.
Do I even need to tell you what comes next? Tears. And a lot of them.
“Oooooh noooo! But dat will take forever!” she wails, “How many sleeps until Christmas?”
I have to do the math in my head twice. “Eighteen?”
“But dat’s soooooooo long!” she cries again, slumping her shoulders dramatically.
As her tears and whining escalate, I find myself at a familiar parenting crossroads: do I stick to the original agreement, or do I cave to avoid the public meltdown?
No doubt, giving her the jump rope right now would be the easy way out.1 Squash the tears, turn the frown upside down, and we escape the store with no drama. The better route, of course, is the harder one. Stand by the original agreement. Stay true to my word. Let the meltdown ensue for the sake of the life lesson.
In giving my daughter an opportunity to experience delayed gratification, I am also teaching my daughter what it means to wait.
And, well, in her defense, waiting is not easy for any of us. But life is full of waiting … waiting for answers, for healing, for relief, for provision, for resolution, for peace, for an apology, for forgiveness, for comfort, for safety, for direction, for joy. We wait for a spouse or a baby that may or may not come. We wait for our job, our marriage, our parenting, or our general circumstances to improve. We wait and wait and wait and wait for that persistent hum of longing in our hearts to finally be made whole and complete.
As I wipe tears off my daughter’s face, I remind myself that waiting eighteen sleeps for a jump rope is working a muscle she desperately needs. It’s the same muscle that will experience far greater disappointment and grief in the years to come. It’s the same muscle that stretches over and over in the not-yet of this life—fueled by faith and powered by hope and strengthened by the One who was, and is, making all things new.
As we trek back to the car, with the jump rope carefully tucked inside a plastic bag, Presley squeezes my hand again.
“Waiting is soooooooo hard,” she tells me.
“I know, babe,” I whisper, “It really is.”
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. - John 1:8 ESV
And now, onto the links!
I hit my Goodreads goal of 60 books this week, just in time to humble brag about it here. 😜 Currently reading Honest Advent (I started this eight days late but enjoying it so far!), and just finished Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come (loved this book way more than I thought I would!).
Every year I like to crown one item my holiday MVP. Technically this top shows nothing but one bare arm (I wear far less in the summer!), but every time I’ve worn it, I’ve gotten a lot of “ooooh lala” 🔥 comments. Pair with wide leg pants = instant show stopper. I went with my larger size, FYI.
I feel like I was late to the Olivia Rodrigo game, but I have been rage cleaning and doing sprints on the treadmill to this song and I don’t know what it is, but the way the music builds and builds DOES SOMETHING TO MY BODY. (If you look it up on another music player, make sure you find the clean version. The explicit one is … a bit much. And I’m not even that precious about swears, fwiw.)
Don’t ask how I snagged this blazer for exactly $23 on clearance in my local H&M but what you need to know is I am currently working on a post called I Bought A $23 Blazer and Now I Have a Different Personality.
I’ve been searching for a new series for Carson (age 9) who read all of Harry Potter over the summer. He is now in the throes of Percy Jackson (and loving it!) but I also snagged The Underland Chronicles after reading a bunch of reviews. Holler at me if you have any other recs … this kid goes through books faster than I can keep updating the library queue.
Don’t remember which influencer was shilling this hair volumizer, but I bought it hook, line, and sinker. She wasn’t wrong! Learn from my mistake: do not turn the nozzle upside down directly on your scalp. (Picture me with enough whipped cream on my head to don a dozen ice cream sundaes.) Put a little dollop in your hands and then work through your roots. I wash my hair at night, do a super light blow dry (like 50%), work some of this mousse in, and wake up with Jennifer Aniston-esque volume.
Normally, I am adamantly against unsolicited advice, but Lisa’s list made me want to write my own. (No really, should I?!)
Some other beautiful things I’ve read this week: The Kids Are Not Okay, Why I’m Finally Sending Christmas Cards, and How to Grieve, and Rejoice, With Friends at Christmas.
I haven’t made this yet, but plan to ASAP. Not gonna lie: the meal situation has been B L E A K around here. Also on my make ASAP list: Sarah’s cookies.
Our C+C winter collection is live!!! If you remember me talking about bowing out of the fall collection, I am happy to report the essay I have been working on since the summer is finally finished. It’s about a steep hike my husband and I took in Hawaii, but it’s also about becoming a mother, and writing, and the beauty of not knowing all the answers. If you’re a person who appreciates a visual, here are a few photos from that hike, from top to bottom.
Read the full essay here.
January is around the corner, which is my all-time favorite month to delete Instagram. If you’d like to kick-start the new year with a social media detox, I’d love to be your accountability partner and send you a few pep talks along the way! Still need some convincing that an IG break is worthwhile? Don’t just take my word for it.
If I may be so bold (awkward laugh), this would be a wonderful Christmas gift for me (costs $0!).
Related: I AM WORKING ON BOOK CLUB GUIDES (!). I say that in all caps because I am actually having so, so, so much fun making them. I’ve got discussion questions! I’ve got moodboards! I’ve got a playlist! Here’s my tiny dream: I want you to host a book club for Create Anyway, but, even more than that, I want you to start a book club, period. (My friend Elise and I started a book club in 2023 and I am not exaggerating when I tell you: it has been a highlight of my year. More on that later!)
That’s all I’ve got. What are you reading? Wearing? Cooking? Watching? Tell me all your things!
Annnnnd one more time—Create Anyway is on mega sale! No clue how long it will last!
Let the record state: I have taken the easy way out many, many, MANY times.
You should definitely write your own list, Ashlee! Thanks for sharing mine. 💛
Has your son read The Mysterious Benedict Society series or the Wingfeather Saga series? Those were big hits at my house.