Reading
The Fault in Our Stars. They have cancer and they’re in love! That is all I need to say.
Watching
A LOT of TED talks. 🙂 In preparation for my post on TED talks for purposeful women. It was totally worth it.
I would also like to send it out into the universe that January / February is an inopportune (read: TERRIBLE) time for the good shows to go on hiatus. Isn’t this when we need entertainment the most??
Pinning
This brilliant idea for keeping your beach blanket from getting plastered with sand.
This sweet gold dot bedding.
Plenty of white rooms with high contrast (as usual!) that look blissfully nothing like my house!
This month I started a Marriage Diaries group board, where I’m working with the Marriage Diaries writers to curate a collection of real, honest, and hopeful writing on relationships. I hope you’ll follow along!
Follow Erica Layne | Let Why Lead’s board The Marriage Diaries on Pinterest.
Eating
We haven’t been eating these all month—just once, I promise. But they are 200% going to happen again around here. Nutella Brownies. There’s a reason they made Buzzfeed’s list of recipes that won pinterest in 2013. (Bonus, you finally have a way to use that Costco-sized jar of Nutella you shouldn’t have bought!)
Doing
We’re two months into the year, and I wanted to steal this chance to be accountable for my 2014 New Year’s Resolutions.
We’ve done super simple family meetings at the start of most weeks, where we choose something for each member of the family to work on that week. We’re still saying something we’re grateful for at most of our dinners. I’ve given some hugs in the last two months(!), on my quest to become a hugger in 2014. (Slow going, but progress is progress!) I would like to do better at scripture reading and giving service (although I DO give plenty to my kiddos!).
“Fewer carbs, less sugar, and more green smoothies” got a little thrown off by half of our kitchen getting torn out last month, but things are back to normal now.
I did some brainstorming for my blog redesign, prepped for round two of the Marriage Diaries, worked hard on Trread, and totally failed at being more efficient with my online time. 🙂 I also wrote three articles for other websites:
Why I Post about My Children Online – Deseret News
Why It Means Everything When You Notice My Baby – Deseret News
Creating a Vision Board for Your Life – Mom 4 Real
I hope you all are staying warm and that spring comes quickly! Thank you so much for being a part of Let Why Lead!
Linked up with What I’m Into at Leigh Kramer.
“The Fault in our Stars” is brilliant. I could read it over and over again. There is not a single misplaced sentence, and not a page where your heart does not feel something. I’m glad you are enjoying it, Erica!
Hi, Abbigail! Yes, your description of it is perfect – not a misplaced sentence, not a moment where you don’t FEEL something. Love that.
Thanks so much for visiting – you have a great weekend!
I agree with Abbigail. “The Fault in our Stars” is brilliant. I am reading it right now as well! Another great book that everyone should read and read to her children when they are old enough is Wonder by R J Palacio. The story behind why the book was written is beautiful in itself. You can read it here: http://rjpalacio.com/faqs.html.
Great post today Erica, I really enjoyed all of it. You have beautiful taste!
XOXO Kristen @ onein1hundred.blogspot.com
Hi Kristen! It’s great to hear from you! I hope you guys are doing well. Thanks so much for the recommendation – I’m heading to goodreads right now to add it to my list so I don’t forget!
Love “The Fault in Our Stars.” We actually have close friends who are dealing with osteocarcoma in their teenage son right now, so it was especially emotional when I read it back in January! By the way, your blog is just lovely. I’m visiting from Leigh’s “What I’m Into;” so glad I found you!
Dropping by from What I’m Into! Glad I did – you, your heart, and your site are beautiful.
I see those Nutella Brownies in my near future 🙂
Hi Erica!! Claire from Lemon Jelly Cake told me about your post, because I talked about The Fault in Our Stars in my post today too! It’s fate! Such a great book!
Hi Erica,
I am definitely interested in checking out your Marriage Diaries series and maybe writing for it in the future! Thanks also for checking out my link up! I have added your blog to my Feedly reader and look forward to learning more about you and what you write!
Hi Emily! Let’s definitely keep in touch! I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen so far of your blog and am excited to get to know you better!
I was just looking for some new and good Ted Talks the other day, so I’m definitely checking out your list!
Ted talks are awesome!! Looks like you’re doing really good with your 2014 goals lady! That’s wonderful 🙂 Man, green smoothies have been my saving grace this winter…that and chocolate. hahaha. But seriously, when I drink one I feel like a concentrated dose of sunshine energy enters my body. So much fun that you are re-designing your blog. Sometimes I wish I could re-design mine yearly…it’s the creative in me that always sees something new! Looking forward to more of what’s to come on Let why lead xo
I’m glad you’re reading The Fault in Our Stars! I loved that book. So endearing and surprisingly made me laugh so much! And the movie is coming out this year I think!
And I need to try those Nutella brownies. I’m totally guilty of having a huge nutella jar I never even use.
Your top photo is fabulous! I keep hearing about the TED Talks for purposeful women, and now I really want to watch! Thank you so much for sharing about your Marriage Diaries group board. I will most definitely check it out. Hoping you have a wonderful month!
Bah! Being efficient with online time is overrated!
…
Okay, fine. FINE. Maybe it’s not. But I have yet to accomplish anything resembling online efficiency, and honestly, I’m not sure I ever will.
Right there with ya, girl! I pop around like a crazy lady, but in the end I still get plenty done. I’m still hoping to streamline some, but we’ll see… (Now, what was I doing before I popped over here to chat with you? 🙂
I sobbed when I read Fault in Our Stars. I can’t wait to see the movie! I don’t know whether to hug you or shake you for sharing that Nutella Brownie recipe. DANGEROUS.