by emilyneal | Jan 17, 2021 | Creativity, Uncategorized
At the end of every year, I like to take time to reflect on the highs and lows of the previous year. It’s fun to look back at memorable events, my reading list or any new adventures. Of course, doing this for 2020 required even more introspection than usual. The...
by emilyneal | Jan 11, 2021 | Uncategorized
One of the life lessons I was reminded of frequently in 2020 is that we all have the power to choose our attitude regardless of our circumstances. We can spend our time complaining about our situation. We can long for the past or sit around just waiting for things to...
by emilyneal | Jan 2, 2021 | Uncategorized
For much of the year, it seemed strange to me that I had chosen “free” as my word of the year during a 12-month span that restricted so much of my freedom. “Stay at home” was the mantra of 2020. We lost our freedom to see family, gather in...
by emilyneal | Dec 28, 2020 | photography
As I look back at 2020, here are 10 of my favorite outdoor images that I was able to capture with my camera. Photography for me is like a little treasure hunt. It helps motivate me to go outside no matter the weather. And it totally changes my perspective when I am...
by emilyneal | Dec 24, 2020 | Uncategorized
Last night, I traced four sets of hands, and one set of paws on our tree skirt. It’s a tradition I started 18 years ago when Matthew was just a baby and Andrew was two years old. I always laugh when I look back at that first set of hands because I placed them so...
by emilyneal | Nov 15, 2020 | Uncategorized
This past week, a friend described me as “artistic.” Another friend said I’m “crafty.” I don’t see myself as either. I don’t have a natural artistic talent, like drawing or painting or sculpture. And I really don’t think...
by emilyneal | Nov 11, 2020 | Uncategorized
We have always joked that Cooper is such a smart and hard-working dog, that he really needs a job. And this past weekend, he finally got to go to work. We decided to take him to visit his big brother at college. Andrew has been longing to see Cooper, and it was his...
by emilyneal | Nov 5, 2020 | Uncategorized
Earlier this week, I experienced a traumatic moment with my puppers that was like nothing I’ve been through so far as a dog mom. Most days, Cooper and I meet up with another dog and her mom to play in a large open area near our homes. The two dogs have a similar...
by emilyneal | Oct 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
I’ve now worked at my “new”-ish job for a year. I’ve reached a strange point in my existence in which my pre-pandemic experience is starting to become less than my current reality. More than half of the past year – seven out of the 12 months –...
by emilyneal | Oct 7, 2020 | Creativity, Uncategorized
When I was in fifth grade, I had a side hustle as a hand lettering artist. I wrote the names of my classmates on a piece of construction paper in large block letters. I used a dark crayon to color in a shadow on the names, giving the letters a 3D effect. Finally, each...
