northern life
I didn’t realize the depth of my unmet need for outdoor adventure until I hastily concocted a winter tent camping trip over lunch one day with a co-worker. While I love exploring with my family, I read Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail thru-hiking memoirs all winter, and I am consumed by a longing to hike to […]
When Beatrice was little, people said to us all of the time, “She’ll sleep well tonight!” And we always laughed, but inside we thought, “Nope, she’s going to sleep the same as she does every night, because she’s always this active.” Since then I love to ask other parents what comment they hear most […]
Like we often do, because great minds think alike, Jen and I decided independently to get standing desks this year. If you’ve read any of the research, they are calling sitting the new smoking, and saying that even if you exercise regularly you cannot overcome the adverse affects of sitting at your work all day. I’ve […]
Forget filling your car with hand warmers and signal flares, true winter survival is about keeping your spirits up and your eyes on the prize (i.e. spring). Here’s a foolproof recipe to help you survive winter a.k.a. enjoy our fourth season. First, get comfortable. Head to your favorite pharmacy/co-op/Amazon and fill your cart with Vitamin D, a […]
This year we’re collecting our gift ideas into four categories in the spirit of the “Something to wear, something to read, something you want, something you need” philosophy. Something to read was our first post; here is our second! Borealis Gift Guide: Something you want: Two of our favorite brands came together — Caribou […]
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This was my absolute favorite gift project last year, and might be for a few years to come. It’s pretty, practical, and paper — bundled up in cute packaging. All of my favorite things. I made several of these for gifts for friends and teachers at a total cost of about $7 each. Each little […]
{Continue reading…}This year we’re collecting our gift ideas into four categories in the spirit of the “Something to wear, something to read, something you want, something you need” philosophy. First up: Something to read, because this list was the easiest to put together! Borealis Gift Guide — Something to read: If you love Pride & Prejudice […]
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Last holiday season I had significantly more time than I ever have for Christmas prep. My youngest was in all-day kindergarten and I was, for many hours at a time, a stay-at-home-alone-mom. I filled the time by making nearly every gift project I ever pinned, like these fort kits. I got my inspiration from this […]
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There are hundreds of adorable Advent calendar ideas out there. This post, however, is not about how to make the cutest. one. ever. Instead, it’s about making the Advent calendar work for you. I have been doing Advent calendars for my boys for three years; this year is the fourth. I started it on a whim, got […]
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Last year on this very day, I wrote this post about my littlest blessing — my oldest son Owen, born too soon and too small more than 12 years ago. Today is World Prematurity Day, and rereading that post brought the same tears and gratitude it did when I wrote it, the tears I shed […]
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I like to throw parties. I think that much has been pretty well established here on Borealis. I also like writing party posts. I write them because I love reading them; I’ve gotten most of my best ideas from others’ blogs. Party posts mean I get to share my cute photos and pay it forward […]
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Jen and I were exchanging ideas about making life easier the other day and realized that we have dramatically opposed notions about meal planning. What sounds efficient to her sounds draconian to me, and I’m sure my structure-less “plan” sounds like a recipe for chaos (or at least takeout) to her. So we decided to […]
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