definition: contentment, satisfaction. a concept in indian philosophy
sometimes i try to decipher the equations at work in my life.
and one of them is that gratitude brings a groundswell of contentment.
i’ve been favoring a new word for it that i learned earlier this year – santosha
and summer feels like a big bag of santosha just got delivered on the doorstep
ripe, full, sun drenched santosha.
speaking of sun, i had my first trip to houston on derby day. and the portraits were inside a castle with a family with enough love to fill every corner of it. mom is from ky – and she’s the sort that makes me so very proud to be a kentuckian. right or wrong, i think i can pick kentuckians & their golden hearts out in a crowd.
i’m already nostalgic and it was hasn’t even been two months ago. for seeing how the oldest hugs her siblings so sweetly, childrens room tours and their clubhouse under the pool table, the flowers they plucked from the garden & put on the countertop, games with mom in the playroom wearing pjs on saturday morning, lulu the dancing parrot…here’s what i know – life is infinitely better when we don’t segregate ourselves by age. i looooove time with children and people older than me.
i hope your summering soon sees a big bowl of watermelon, conversation with someone who delights you. and santosha.
– melanie –
- 01argan oil
there’s been a huge trend to put this in hair care products but a few drops on your face is so nice before bed. hands down my favorite face moisturizer and it’s SO affordable compared to mixed serums. i think this stuff hung the moon.
- 02favorite book of the summer
simple matters …it’s reeeeaaaally good if you love the simple life.
- 03i'm just discovering cloud collecting!!
got this for my birthday and i’m in love!! audrey and i saw a stratocumulus tower on the walk to church the week before last ;) the reading is filled with scientific terms but if you can do the reading along with your child (or their almost 10) this would be so fun to introduce before a trip and then bring along with you as you collect points for the ones you see). gorgeous clouds have always captured my attention and it’s fun hunting for certain ones now!
speaking of summer, audrey and i have been making our weeks at home more lively with daily themes like ‘take a trip tuesday’, ‘wet wednesday’ (pool!), ‘thinking thursday’ (library, summer skills workbook) so there’s a little bit of a schedule but not too much of one!
i’ll link to our availability since it’s already getting super limited in september…and mark your calendar for october 8th (our last mini session of the year) & jot us a note (info@melaniemauer.com) if you’d like to know when our blog post announcing times goes live!