Monthly Musings No. 9

Coaching soccer (yes, somehow I got wrangled into it!), the soundtrack on repeat in our house, and celebrating Ellis' 4th birthday.

Sep 26, 2025

Nothing better than flowers from the Farmer’s Market!

September was such a good month. The weather has been dreamy…still sunny and warm during the day, but with those crisp mornings and evenings that I absolutely love.

I’ve been reaching for my favorite shacket and soaking it all up. The only downside? The mosquitoes are still relentless. Whenever we’re in the backyard, I flip on our Thermacell, and we all wear our buggy bands. I also just ordered these, and I hope they work. I’m convinced I’m just a mosquito magnet.

The highlight of the month was celebrating Ellis’s fourth birthday. I can’t believe my baby is four! He’s thriving at his new preschool, and watching him run into the classroom with confidence makes my heart so happy. We threw him a party at a local play place with some of his little friends, and he had the best time.

Another pinch-me moment was hitting one million followers on Instagram. I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that there are a million people following along with my projects and life.

Finn popped champagne and decorated the house, my dad sent flowers, friends sent cookies, and my family sent me oodles of messages, making me feel so loved. Working for yourself can sometimes feel a little lonely, so having people cheer me on in such a big way was really special.

And finally, soccer season has started for both kids! Finn is coaching and somehow wrangled me in to help him. Our team name is the “Lava Sharks” hence the posing in the photo above. Ha! I bring the fun, he brings the technical soccer skills. Our Saturday mornings are now spent on the sidelines and it’s been a blast!

CREATIVE

Witch, please! The cheeky doormat I got for a hint of Halloween flair around here.
This desk makeover. Yesssss!
Okay, this is a seriously cool idea for Halloween.

AESTHETIC

Did you catch the built-in water dispenser that I added to my brother’s house? It’s so sleek and beautiful. If I had the space, I would add one to our own home in a heartbeat!
I just ordered one of these custom candles to test out for the holiday gift guide. Love that you can personalize it. Ours says “Casa Finn" and my kids, who are both learning Spanish at school, think that’s pretty cool!

STYLISH

I was at my brother’s house and saw that my 2-year-old nephew also has my favorite jean jacket. Twinning! I had no idea that they made this sweatshirt material style for kids, and now I want to splurge and get one for each of mine.
These studded flats are my favorite new purchase for fall.
At the start of summer, I got these blue sunnies and wore them constantly. I wanted to get another pair for fall, but this time I opted for this style in black. They’re so stylish!

ENTERTAINING

KPop Demon Hunters (both the movie and the soundtrack) have been on repeat in our house. Why didn't anyone tell me the songs were such bangers?!
My friend had me catch up on The Summer I Turned Pretty so we could chat about it. Whoa, I got totally sucked in. What did you think of the series finale??
Just watched Thursday Murder Club and I loved every minute of it. Helen Mirren is goals. Can I please be her when I’m 80?!
The best time to be in college was from 2006 to 2010. Fully support this read!
This book just arrived and I’m eager to dive in.

YUMMY

I’ve talked about our love for the THC/CBD drinks from the brand Wynk. I recently tried Cann’s new on-the-go packets, and wow, such a cool idea. They have a low dose of THC that you can just add to sparkling water. Use code DIYPLAYBOOK10 for 10% off if you want to try it for yourself.
After a weekend of overindulging, I made this veggie soup on a Monday to get some vegetables into our systems. Forgot how good it is. This is a super old blog post, but the recipe is still fantastic.

This month’s community spotlight is all about rethinking wine and doing things a little differently…

Meet Mai, co-founder of Mai Vino.

Together with her co-founder, Pam, Mai created Mai Vino: responsibly grown, beautifully balanced wines packaged in airtight pouches that stay fresh longer and reduce waste.

As a mom, Mai wanted something unfussy, flexible, and fun. As a wine lover myself, I’m obsessed with this idea. A glass of wine that tastes great, lasts for weeks, and doesn’t make me feel guilty about tossing half a bottle? Yes, please.

You can purchase their wines online right here!

P.S. Know a woman doing extraordinary things? Nominate them here or fill out the form for your own amazing business!