live simply, love madly, make magic.
Hello, sweet friends. It’s September and we’ve already moved through the heart of back to school season. Roman is settling in nicely to first grade and Marina is about to start pre-k next week. I’ll have a little post about Roman’s first day up soon, but in the meantime I am finally getting caught up…
Every summer at the end of July, my family took a trip to the seaside. Through my childhood, those trips gave me life. I looked forward to it all year and there was so much magic in it all. My heart still explodes with joy to think about it. The sand, the ocean, the boardwalk,…
Thank you Angel Soft® for sponsoring this post. Ditch the spray and switch to Angel Soft® with Fresh Lavender-Scented Tube. Lately, I’ve found myself wondering if I am running a household or a zoo, in the best way possible. The population of our house has exploded over these last couple of years as we brought…
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” I am sitting at my desk. It’s Monday morning. I am trying to work but mostly I’m just distracted by the beautiful cacophonous laughter of my babies playing in the next room, as well as the endless stream of social media ever-waiting…
Today’s post comes from my dear friend, Nicole. Nicole and I met in high school but it wasn’t until 2006, when we unknowingly signed up for a study abroad program in Kenya together, that our friendship truly blossomed. On that trip, I learned that Nicole is an earth angel. I don’t use that term lightly.…
A long, long time ago when this blog was still in its infancy, I had a column called, “Ask Dena.” I invited my readers to share their pressing life questions with me & I answered them with gentle guidance & love. One time, a reader asked me if she should stay with her husband for…
On May 7th, Roman James turned 6-years-old. To be honest, it was a difficult day for me. Somehow 6 feels so momentous–like a major transition from little boy to big boy. On that day, I found my heart to be full of gratitude & love, but also heavy beneath the weight of my children growing…
Woodstock has been on my travel bucket-list for awhile. Most people equate Woodstock with tie-dye, hippies and the 3-day outdoor music festival, but that festival did not actually take place there. It took place in Bethel, about 1.5 hours southwest. Still, Woodstock has become a beautiful bohemian destination in its own right. My recent trip…
As a parent, it’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. You get up Monday morning to start your busy weekday lives only to go to bed Sunday night to do the same thing all over again Monday morning. Where does the time go? We can overextend ourselves sometimes…