the post about tea.

As a child, I was an avid collector of glass animal figurines. I searched for them everywhere. And I found them often. I grew up in a family that went to plenty of antique shows, and my mission was always to find a new cutie to add to my collection.  If it was a dog, even better.

Red Rose Tea was also a staple in our home. This is likely where my glass animal obsession began. Each tea box came with a glass animal figurine. It was my absolute joy to open a new box and find the glass animal, covered in tea dust. Sometimes I'd get a repeat of one I already had. If I was lucky, it would be a new one to add to the collection. Occasionally, I'd find a truly unique one and parade it around my home with a fierce amount of pride.

Tea drinking has been in my bones since the beginning. The smell of a new box of Red Rose is one that I can't explain. To me, it is my Grammy. These days, I buy PG Tips, but I still open the box and take a big whiff. It's a visit from her every single time and I relish it with the greatest and most profound love.

Today, I'd like to share with you my favorite teas. And if you, like me, enjoy drinking tea and remembering someone special, maybe you'll find a new one to add to your collection.


 
BLACK TEA
1 || Steven Smith (Brahmin): This is my favorite, higher end black tea. I drink a black tea every morning and in cold weather, it's not uncommon for me to have a second cup when I get home from work. This is what's typically described as a breakfast tea. It has a distinctive black tea flavor with a very floral undertone. It is incredibly delicious.

2 || PG Tips: This is classic, quintessential black tea. Entirely unfussy. Smooth and rich. Delectable. I usually have Steven Smith for my morning cup of tea and PG Tips in the afternoon.

3 || Red Rose Tea: I'll admit that I no longer buy this tea, but I think it's is an excellent place to start if you're new to tea drinking!

4 || Steven Smith (Masala Chai): I've actually been writing this post over the span of a few weeks and when I sat down initially, I didn't have a Chai pick. I recently found one on a random trip to the grocery store, and I am so, so pleased to share it with you. This particular strain is incredibly delicious; sweet, flavorful, and beautifully mellow.

(As a note, I drink all black teas with half and half and sugar. I also enjoy a strong black tea, so I always steep for 10 minutes, regardless of package instructions.)

HERBAL TEA
5 || Steven Smith (White Petal): In November, Jeffrey and I did a three-week cleanse that meant we needed to stop consuming daily coffee and black tea. However, green and white teas were totally fine. That cleanse led me to this tea, which I absolutely love. If you're more of an herbal tea drinker, I think you'll love this one! I enjoy this with a little bit of honey.

6 || Traditional Medicinals (Seasonal Sampler): I drink A LOT of tea when I get a cold or flu. This sampler pack is so delightful. There's a tea for a sore throat. One for congestion. One for immune support — to drink before you get sick. And there's one that just makes you feel cozy in the midst of your cold. I enjoy all of these with a little bit of honey.

7 || Yogi (Kava Stress Relief): I LIVED on this tea my first year teaching. I don't even know how many boxes I went through. I do really think this tea has a lovely calming ability, not necessarily because this is specifically for stress relief, but because I think all herbal teas can be quite calming. I enjoy this with a little bit of honey.

8 || Yogi (Honey Lavender Stress Relief): I switched to this version after discovering its Non-GMO certification. If you dislike lavender, this tea isn't for you. I wouldn't say it's strong, but it's certainly detectable. I enjoy this with a little bit of honey.

9 || Yogi (Comforting Chamomile): Chamomile is just honestly incredible. It's great for relaxation and bringing on sleepiness, it calms and eases stomach pain, and it's also really great for anxiety! I like to keep this in the pantry at all times. I enjoy this with a little bit of honey.

Note: The glass animal figurines are mostly gone now. But I still look for the perfect one every time I enter an antique shop. While I typically don't purchase them anymore, I still hope that an excited little kid will come around and add my find to his or her own collection. And every once in awhile, if I find one that really speaks to me, I'll still pick it up and feel the same rush of joy I felt when I was a little kid.

sundays.

In an effort to document more of my daily life, here's a new series all about Sundays. I'll never forget a conversation I had with a colleague of mine where we basically trashed Sundays (sorry, Sunday). If you are someone who has a Monday through Friday work week, you can probably relate to the Sunday blues, which for me would typically begin at around 4 PM. The thought of an impending work week and what that encompasses, was often enough to send me into an anxious tailspin.

It wasn't until recently that I really came around to appreciating Sundays. We typically like to try and do something a little more ambitious on Saturdays, so Sundays became the low key, relaxed, cozier day of the week. And at exactly the same time on a recent Sunday afternoon, Jeffrey and I both remarked on what a perfect day we were having.

So thanks, Sunday (and sorry for taking awhile to warm up to you). xo

dear love of my life,

We've been you and me for a long time. We've moved in the muggy Florida heat together. We've trekked across the country together. We've perched in the middle of Mt. Hood and watched the sun stretch over the peak together. We've walked down Charleston streets in the muggy midnight together. We've hiked through Cataloochee in 19º mornings together. We've found treasures in middle-of-nowhere antique stores together. We've rescued a dog together. We've planned a wedding together. We've rearranged furniture together. We've made meals together. We've been happy together and sad together and we've changed together. 

I've spent a large part of my life with you by my side. How lucky that is. We all find love in different ways, and it can look different for so many different people. And that's lucky, too. It's lucky that we can all arrive at love in different ways. You and me, we have had the immense fortune of literally growing up together. And we'll continue to grow up together for the rest of our lives.

You have been my very best friend through so many different parts of my life — parts where I felt strong and capable and parts where I felt really small and like I needed some help pulling myself up from whatever struggle I was wallowing in. Parts where I felt sure of myself and ready for the next challenge and parts where I felt confused and terrified. And through all of that, we've counted on one another: to be the voice of reason, to be the one who was strong and willing, to be the one who found the words when the other could not, to be the one who could find clarity in a murky situation, to be the one who reassured, to be the one who comforted, and loved, and cared.

This is what it means to love someone. It means finding the beautiful parts and lifting them up and reveling in them and being so very thankful that those parts exist. It also means staring the ugly parts in the face and claiming them and loving those and being so very thankful that those parts also exist. It means recognizing that both beautiful and ugly are necessary to make a human being whole. And I am so grateful to love the whole you because I wouldn't be the whole me without the whole you.

I love you more today than I ever thought I could. More than the teenage girl who found the daisies on her doorstep. More than the 22-year-old who found post-it notes littered around the apartment after you left for a two-month residency in Montana. More than the 23-year-old who stood and said the vows that so many other beautiful people have said long before we said them. And I will love you more tomorrow and the day after that and forever and ever after that because that's what it means to find the love of your life. Thanks for being mine.

XOXO,
Rox

simple things.

{1. I can't seem to get enough of glass jars lately and this one is especially lovely. For the record, I'm also a big fan of these and — of course — these.}


{2. Fresh flowers are always a welcome addition, and I was able to split this particular bunch into three mini-bunches that are still gracing us with their presence.}


{3. This raw whipped cream (made from cashews!) is especially delicious with some spices thrown in: cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, to be exact.}


{4. We're loving our new clock.}


{5. A different spot for our cookbooks will (hopefully) mean they'll get a bit more use.}


{6. Chocolate chips in the pantry mean a batch of chocolate chip cookies aren't too far behind — hooray!}


Other simple things:

• Window shopping (or, cyber window shopping, as the case may be?) and currently eyeing this, this, this, and this.
• The Sufjan Stevens Pandora station, which makes cleaning and cooking a real treat.
• Some words of wisdom.
• And some words to make you laugh.

Happy weekend, dear ones. xo

simple things.

{1. Beautiful vines in beautiful Brooklyn.}


{2. Our wedding nook: complete with our cake toppers, Jeffrey's boutonniere, my ring box, trinkets from our honeymoon, and two meaningful postcards.}


{3. This new gold ring, which I picked up in New York, and just happens to match Jeffrey's wedding band quite perfectly.}


{4. This book, and full, lazy days for enjoying it.}


{5. A pal who doesn't mind days that are for relaxing.}


{6. This candle, which fills a room with a pleasant, cozy scent. (I would love to try this scent next.)}


Other simple things I'm grateful for:

• A fun trip to New York City to kick summer vacation off in style. (We didn't take many photos — the shame! — but we did keep up on Instagram. You can follow me here, if you'd like.)
• Jesse Terry, whose music I adore.
• My New Roots, which is a blog that has provided me with endless inspiration over these last couple months.
• Summer goals that keep me busy and motivated.

simple things.

^ I love gardens after the rain. They always seem so happy and wild.

^ Our Just Married sign still posted on the back of the bus.

^ I love the rain. It quenches my thirst and renews my spirit. Always.

^ Back porch living is the order of the day when I'm home at my parents' house.

^ His sloppy little beard after he takes a drink of water. (P.S. Have you noticed that the frame is always a little blurry when this specimen is posted? It's because he's never still.)

^ This book is stunning and pulls at the heartstrings in all the best ways. If you know me personally, then you likely know that I am not generally a reader of sad books. I can get swallowed up whole by a sad story line, but lately I've been trying to expand my horizons and I think it's good for me. This book, in particular, is quite sad, but absolutely beautiful.

Other simple things we're grateful for:
• Cell phones, so that I can talk to Jeffrey while he's away.
• Social media. The entire world waffles on the idea of it (I'm part of that, too), but lately I'm feeling truly grateful for the way it can connect me to people who I may otherwise lose contact with. What a blessing.

I wish I could put into words the way my heart hurts over the loss of 19 brave firefighters who gathered their courage to fight Arizonan wildfires in the name of protecting others. The truth is, there are no words. I think that's part of a tragedy — no words to smooth it over or make it better. Bloggers are often criticized for saying something about a tragedy and then moving on. I understand that sentiment. Sometimes it does feel superficial, but please know that I am praying and sending all my love and support toward the families and friends who greatly need it right now. I will continue to offer words of peace and encouragement and calm in the moments when I feel it deep in the pit of my heart. xo

simple things.

^ Clean sheets. There's nothing like getting into clean sheets after a long day.
^ This sweet pup, who doesn't mind being lazy now and then. 
^ Fresh flowers that Jeffrey brings home at the end of a working day. ^ New blinds that add such a coziness to our little home. ^ A new plant to fulfill one of our May to-do list items. ^ This dog shampoo, which makes Woody feel and smell like a little dream.

Other simple things we're grateful for:

• This collar, which is giving our arm sockets a sweet break and helping Woody to walk like a gentleman.
• Ice cubes, which make all drinks extra refreshing.
• Fresh watermelon from the side of the road.

And a not-so-simple thing we're grateful for: The men and women who give their lives to fight for the freedom of this country, and the people who lose their dearest loved ones and bravely carry on.

More simple things.

simple things.

Powerberries, because Jeffrey brought home two bags so that I could take one to work.
This granola, which my sister and brother-in-law brought over and tastes like a little piece of cinnamon heaven.
This candle, which is safe (made from soy) and smells delicious.
These letters, which my dad handmade for our wedding.
These sweet pot holders, which my mother-in-law gave to us + these sunflower seeds (my favorite addition to a salad) being stored in a jar from Jeffrey's grandma.

Other simple things we're grateful for:

• This song. Paul Simon is a songwriting genius.
• This movie, which we thought was cute. 
• A clean house. It feels nice to come home to a clean house.
• Our sweet pup, who will cuddle at any point in the day. For realz.

simple things.

We are big believers in showing gratitude for the simple things in life. When the going gets tough, if you can look around and still find beauty in the smaller bits of life, you can weather even the fiercest of storms. That's why we've decided to create a weekly series where we give thanks for the simple things that make our lives a little brighter.

Friends, which we've been tearing through on weeknights. We're also grateful for the friend who lent the entire series to us.
This brush, which helped us clean our apartment to a sparkling shine.
This thermos, which made an appearance at our wedding and now has a home on our dining room table + this lampshade, which has brought new life to this little corner.
These flowers, which I picked from our garden and add a special sort of happiness to our side table.
These tissues, because it's a bummer to be sick, but it helps when the supplies are cute.

Other simple things we're grateful for:

• This song, which we've shamelessly been listening to after it became the soundtrack of a very memorable moment in New Girl.
• Call the Midwife, which is an incredible show about British midwives in the 50s. It's considered a drama (and believe me, there have been tears on my end), but it's really spectacular and parts of it are so funny! 
• Trader Joe's potato chips, because there is no other potato chip like them.
• Coca-Cola, when have I ever not been grateful for you? (And with TJ's potato chips, don't get me started.)