Author: Joy

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Liane Moriarty’s Latest Novel: Truly Madly Guilty

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One day, a couple of years ago, I went to the library by myself. This was a noteworthy occasion because I usually go to the library with two little boys and leave with a huge stack of books about trucks, animals, and dead presidents. On that particular day, I decided to wander into the grown-up section, and pick out a novel for myself. I chose What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. It was the best book I had read in years! When I found out she had written several other books, I vowed to read them all. Liane Moriarty is Read more…

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Paint Colors: My Boys’ Bedrooms

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The first item on our new house to-do list was painting our boys’ bedrooms. I was excited to begin making the house our own, but I was a bit stressed about choosing paint colors on a deadline. We wanted to paint B’s room before we moved his bunk beds in, so I only had a few days to test colors, and it rained every day. I don’t recommend choosing paint colors without the sun! B wanted blue walls, and I wanted a color that would play nicely with the blonde wood tone of his furniture, so I decided to go Read more…

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Oatmeal Mix-ins for Picky Eaters (Like Me)

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  I’ve always been a picky eater. When I was a kid, my favorite substitute for food I didn’t like was cereal. “Mom’s making halibut for dinner? No, thanks, I’ll just get myself a bowl of cereal.” As an adult, I eat a variety of healthy foods, but I still love my sugary cereals (mostly as a late-night snack rather than a breakfast). According to an article in the New York Times last year, cereal enjoyed popularity among baby boomers and Generation X, but started losing its appeal in the 1990s. Millennials seem to prefer healthier options like oatmeal, yogurt, Read more…

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Five Things I Minimized to Create Space in My Home

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Several years ago, I discovered minimalism through Joshua Becker’s blog, Becoming Minimalist. I was drawn to the concept of making more room for joy in my life by removing possessions. I recognized that I was spending a lot of time cleaning, organizing, and managing our home and its contents, instead of spending that time enjoying my family and friends. I must admit, minimizing is still a struggle for me today, but the progress I’ve made encourages me to continue. Does this mean my goal is a stark white house with only the most essential items inside it? Absolutely not! My goal Read more…

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Introducing…Our New Home

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My full house tour is finally here! Oddly, it’s not the tour I’d imagined when I started this blog. Since then, my family has moved out of our rental and into our own lovely lowcountry home. When we moved to Charleston three years ago, we thought living here was temporary, but life has a way of surprising us in the most wonderful ways. We’ve become attached to the community here, so when the opportunity to buy a house presented itself, we went for it! We chose this house because it bucks the trend of super-sized houses on tiny building lots. Read more…

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Family Vacation in the Adirondacks

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I’ve been taking family vacations in the Adirondack Mountains since I was a kid. When I go there, the rest of the world seems to disappear. It’s quiet, the air is clean, and the humidity is low – a huge plus if you’re coming from the South like me! The beauty of the mountains and lakes in upstate New York is unmatched. If you’re looking for a vacation filled with moments of peace, awe, and fun, the Adirondacks will not disappoint you. “We treasure the Adirondacks as a wild place. Yet people have lived here for millennia. We come to Read more…

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Orange Blueberry Bread

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Blueberries are one of my favorite summer treats. When I was a little girl, I would follow my mom next door to my grandparents’ yard to pick from their blueberry bushes. I definitely ate more than I ever put in my mom’s basket! These days, we don’t have any bushes in the yard,  but blueberries are still a summertime staple. When I visit my parents in July, my mom always makes this scrumptious blueberry bread. I like to eat it with eggs for breakfast, or have a slice with a cup of coffee for an afternoon snack. Add a little Read more…

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Life with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

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  I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). I’m hesitant to share the private details of my battle with PCOS in such a public way, but I think it’s an important topic to discuss. My intent with this post is two-fold: First, I want to let others struggling with PCOS know they’re not alone. Also, I want to educate friends and family members of women and girls with PCOS so they’ll have a better understanding of what it’s like to live with this condition. In my early teen years, I began to realize something was wrong with my body. On the Read more…

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Charleston Restaurant Guide

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Let Charleston charm you with its amazing lowcountry cuisine! I’ve visited and enjoyed every restaurant on this list. I’ll continue to add new favorites as I discover them. My restaurant guide is arranged by geographic area, so you won’t have to travel far when you’re hungry. I’ve indicated restaurants that I consider “kid friendly,” which means I would take my two squirmy little boys there. I always recommend calling ahead to verify hours and make a reservation. Enjoy! Downtown Charleston – Lower Peninsula (south of Calhoun St.) Miller’s All Day – 120 King St., Charleston. $$ Breakfast, Lunch. I recommend: Read more…

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Etsy Roundup: Pretty Paintings

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Etsy is one of my favorite places to shop for affordable art. In today’s Etsy roundup, I’d like to tell you about five artists who create pretty paintings and prints to adorn our walls. 1. Janet Hill Studio Janet Hill offers a delightful selection of whimsical prints with a feminine touch. Her work features a cast of stylish characters and their animals in colorful vintage scenes. Each piece will surprise you again and again with its fun details. 2. Solo Work Studio Cathy Horvath Buchanan uses vibrant colors in her modern folk art paintings. She paints charming scenes of houses, Read more…