Benediction #66

Alex | freelance barbie + friendship

I took on a freelance project in June, and it’s been eating up all my spare time. The work is a little tedious — I’m editing and formatting little booklets of essays that have been translated from English to Spanish for kiddos in grades 7-12, and the volume of work is more than I originally expected. I am enjoying it though — it’s nice to help out a company who needs it. I love catching mistakes and knowing that these books will be close to perfect because of me.

I have never done a continuous project like this on the side — all my other freelance projects have been quick one-offs, and this is really making me reevaluate how I spend my time.

I’ve been squeezing in 30 minutes here and 2 hours there. I plan my days around the things I absolutely have to get done, and sometimes there’s no other time for reading or journaling or spending time alone.

It’s inspired me even more to PUT DOWN MY DANG PHONE, and just get to work (or go on the run, or crack open the book) instead of hem-hawing around (as my grandpa would say) while I decide what to do next or dawdle before moving on to the next thing.

I know this is ridiculous and not at all the same thing, but I think I know what new mothers mean now when they say “I had no idea I could DO so much.” Turns out when you have to, you make it work.

Just sitting down to write this feels really nice and grounding, honestly. A thing I get to do rather than a thing I have to do. So thank you for reading this far.

eating

Because of said project, I’m not cooking nearly as much as I normally would. I can’t think about much beyond our regulars, but Cody has looked up and cooked up a few recipes that will surely make it into our rotation.

Because Cody has taken on the meal planning for the foreseeable future, he made the rookie mistake of accidentally buying three bags of limes from Aldi instead of just three limes. I also tried to buy chicken thighs recently, but I wanted boneless, skinless, and I got bone-in, skin on.

So, with our extra bounty, I have my eye on allll the Mexican recipes (and margaritas, duh) to use our limes on. This lime chicken corn poblano salad dish looks especially easy and especially yummy to use the chicken thighs with.

reading

I’m having a mediocre reading year. This was happening before I took on this freelance project, but now I feel like the only time I read is when I snuggle up with my kindle in the dark right before bed, and I fall asleep before I’ve read two paragraphs. I’m STILL trucking through the book I recommended to y’all a month ago!

Today I just finished listening to Laura Tremaine’s latest:

My friendships are certainly changing as many friends are about to be on baby #2, my closest friends are still - or have moved - far away, and so on and so forth. We’re all in different places and need different things. This book was a great reminder that not every friendship has to have that intimate “bestie” feel, but if you want that, there are ways to get that where you’re at, too.

Laura is teaching me:

• in order to be close to people, you do need to be vulnerable with them.

• we have to start giving people the benefit of the doubt, for our own sanity

• different friends fill different holes in our lives

• to be a good friend, put others on your To Do list. Showing up for them when they need it, going the extra mile, even connecting with them on the phone. Put it on your list and make it a priority with your other things. You will be better for it.

This is an easy listen, and one I think most women my age would benefit from.

loving

Holy moly, y’all. I loved the Barbie movie. I don’t want to spoil it, but I will say that it’s SO MUCH FUNNIER than I was expecting. It’s also just full of the heart of Greta Gerwig in the same way that her adaptation of Little Women was. I would follow her anywhere. Her art etches its way into my soul. To be funny AND be that meaningful? In two hours?? What a feat. And I know it was Barbie’s movie, but Ryan Gosling’s performance deserves EVERY award.

I don’t own very much pink clothing, but I was at Target and saw these pants and immediately recognized them from Mollie’s vacation pictures! I grabbed them immediately with the Barbie premiere (and the HOT HOT weather coming up) in mind. I wore them to church the very next day with a black tank top and felt very fun. They are like pajamas, but somehow not?

Another skincare rec:

I have not been able to find an affordable sunscreen that I like that will sit nicely under makeup with out rolling up as I put foundation on top of it. I complained about this enough in a group chat of college girlfriends that my friend Suz mailed me two tubes of this, and I am now obsessed. Goes on beautifully, no scent, not greasy, sits well under makeup, strong sun protection. What more does a girl need?

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Thanks for reading along. I hope you all have a wonderful week!