Life, Pets, Photography, Universe, What I Kept

what i kept – january 2025

Kari

i began writing this monthly post unintentionally in may 2022, motivated by an unexpected and deeply personal loss. your engagement with these posts means so much to me. i wasn’t sure i would continue after that summer, but now, it has become a cherished part of my monthly routine.

thank you for reading along each month.

since my dad’s death, dolly never leaves my mom’s side.
he does this to me. a lot.
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since the night dad died, we’ve noticed signs of him in the most unexpected places—especially in ambulances. it’s hard to explain, but it’s something we feel deeply.

this particular day, mike was taking dad’s (and mom’s) car out for a test run to check the battery. when mike sent us the text, it made us all emotional.

i moved my desk to face the window for feng shui reasons (as one does), and it’s honestly been the best thing i’ve done for myself in a long time. i get to watch the birds at the feeder, see the squirrel family playing in our neighbor’s yard, and even watch our crows standing guard in our yard. it’s a simple yet beautiful form of self-care that brings me so much peace.
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here’s to the 52nd anniversary of me no longer being an only child. as you can see, i was absolutely thrilled. happy birthday, bubby.
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i recently bought a book i’d been wanting for over a year but could never find at my library, so i ordered it online.

when it arrived, i realized it wasn’t the book i’d wanted, though it had the same title. but i kept it anyway. it turns out, i really liked it—and the one i originally wanted didn’t seem as appealing after reading the reviews.

looks like the universe made the decision for me. i love when that happens.

grandkiittyyyy

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48 thoughts on “what i kept – january 2025”

  1. Yes, prioritize tending to your own peace AND don’t let nostalgia con you into not loving today. That’s what I’m taking away from this post. The photo of your dog just staring at you is adorable. You have an audience.

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  2. I love that you moved your desk to embrace nature. That’s the perfect way to heal.
    I was moved by that being carried statement. Enough to save it and choke up over later.
    And as always, canine love.
    ❤️

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  3. I’m going to share Rumi’s quote with Tara. She’ll appreciate that.

    My desk in the basement is next to the sliding glass door, and just this morning I saw a hawk swoop down and kill…something. Who knows what; all I saw was a riotous flurry of feathers. Never a dull moment when Nature is involved!

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  4. Pre-COVID, we used to have game nights and parties at our house regularly. We stopped during COVID and now we have a COVID dog who thinks strangers in her house are obviously burglars and murderers, so we don’t do a ton of entertaining. But that list of ways to build community reminded me that our house can and should be a safe space and we need to do better about reminding the dog that she is not in danger. I’m going to do better about entertaining this year!

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    1. We used to have more people in the house pre-COVID too! Now, we don’t have as many, and our dogs go BANANAS. We actually don’t have as many people over because of it. They’re fine once everyone settles in, but it’s that initial reaction that’s so annoying, and we’re just like, eh. I think it’s a bit of laziness on our part, plus a little introversion…and burnout. And…🤣

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  5. Loved so many things including quotes by: Rumi, Louise Erdrich and the “carrying” one. I then thought about how the name Carrie had new meaning to me and then that Kari is a form of Carrie!🤔🥰 Thank you for sharing.🙏

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  6. Extra ❤️ for “we are carried” …

    I also moved my home desk to have a view out the window. I think I need to do the same at work. There’s zero sense in regulating windows to side eye.

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  8. I love that quote about carrying. I miss having my crafting desk face the window (my new desk has a hutch on top that makes putting in front of the window rather silly and while I am right on the side of the window and all I need to do is turn my head it’s just not the same).

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  9. My oldest daughter had the most fun and kind male teacher for 5th grade who introduced the class to Scattergories and my daughter loved it so much. I always associate that game with him. Your window seat is just what the doctor ordered. I am sad that Lisa Marie Presley didn’t realize that she was beautiful. As are you, Kari! Love your selfie, as always.

    I forget that you and I are both oldest children with a younger brother. The Community Build List is something to aspire to. I’m always impressed by the number of people on our community’s Buy Nothing fb page who give away such nice things, rather than try to sell it (or even just throw away). We forget how generous people can be.

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    1. I love that she had a male teacher in elementary school—that’s so rare. My daughters had a male elementary school art teacher, and they absolutely loved him. He’s retiring this year…he’s my age! 🤣

      Scattergories is our family’s favorite game. This was the first time we played it since my dad died. It was on Ella’s birthday, and I have to say, it made me emotional.

      I was really saddened by Lisa Marie Presley feeling that way. I could relate to her so much while reading her book. It’s a really good read. I finished it in three days.

      Do you only have one brother?

      There are so many generous people out there. We hear so much bad news (because it’s a business, and we forget that) that we often forget about our inherent goodness. I want to remind us all of that. Maybe that’ll be my goal for 2025. ❤️

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  10. So many fur babies!!❤️❤️

    I moved my home work desk to a window too. Although It’s mostly just a view of the street, it was fun to watch neighbors, cats, and birds!

    I like your photo wall!

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    1. Yes!! ❤️❤️

      Mine also faces the street, but I enjoy people-watching too!

      Thank you! I’ve had it ever since we moved here. I used to switch out the pictures, but I don’t print photos as much anymore. The digital age, I guess. 😔

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  11. Aren’t animals so amazing? As my father was passing at hospice in Florida, our cat never left his side. She stayed cuddled up next to him all day. It was so touching to watch.

    I love that capture you got of you dog looking towards the window. The lighting in that image is beautiful.

    Being that I am a huge winter lover, I really enjoy the RUMI quote. And that’s how I see winter – alive, active, and oh so beautiful.

    Yes to – “If you want to change the world…” I agree!

    Isn’t it something how even when an experience doesn’t go as planned (you not receiving the book you wanted) it ends up being the thing you NEED?

    You glow in the selfie!

    Have a faaaaaaabulous week, my friend! X

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    1. Oh, friend, I love hearing that. His kitty comforted him all the way until the end. My dad’s dog, Dolly, was the same. In fact, right after he died, my mom and brother were sleeping, and Dolly let out a bark to wake them up. She just knew. ❤️

      Isn’t it? We’ve had the most beautiful morning skies this January. I was telling Mike the other night that I haven’t been noticing sunsets during winter because it’s so cold, but our sunrises have been absolutely magnificent.

      YES! No season is ever truly dead. There’s always something going on behind the scenes.

      Aww, thank you, my friend. I hope you have a fabulous week, too! 😘

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  14. I love all the quotes and doggy photos.

    Isn’t it wonderful to have your desk facing the window? That’s how mine is. My view is into my back yard where I see the row of arborvitae trees, bird feeder, and bird bath, so lots of birdie and squirrel activity. I much prefer this peaceful view instead of neighbor’s houses (every other window in my house)!

    xoxo

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  15. “Do not love nostalgia as much as you love today” – girl. This speaks to me so much!

    Oooh do I need that book? I think I need that book. I’ll see if they have it at Mosaic.

    Lololol on the photo of you and your baby sister. YOU ARE THRILLED I CAN TELL. I love photos like that, one of my favourite is of me holding my son Mark as a baby and he is all red and stiff and angry and I can tell I’m just trying to soothe him. I have no idea why my husband took that photo but it kind of cracks me up?

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    1. So, I had to look up Mosaic, books, and Canada, and now I’ve decided I’m moving to Canada. I mean, there are many reasons, but this alone would be worth the trip. (I think you need that book.)

      I absolutely love newborn baby and family photos. They capture such authentic reactions.❤️

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  16. The dog intensity stare is unnerving and it makes me laugh. Love that Mike takes your mom’s car out to check the battery, etc. And then the text, well – so sweet. Some good quotes and passages in here. I do love that the wrong book came, but then it was the right book. Turning your desk, as one does. ;)

    xo

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  18. Loved your post today! Lots of things resonated with me. Especially the quote about nostalgia. Yikes. I need to pull myself out of the 70s. It was so simple. No stress. Lesson is that I need to work on my anxiety and enjoy the “right now”. Thanks for that reminder. xo

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    1. Aww, I love your nostalgic posts! For me, I interpreted this quote through the lens of grief. It felt like it showed up in my feed for a reason. It’s so easy to get caught up in the past, especially right now, and forget that there is a perfectly good now happening. I’m glad it resonated with you too. Please keep sharing your nostalgic posts and Instagram stories—they truly brighten my day. 😘❤️

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      1. Aww..glad you enjoy my posts! I truly enjoy writing them! ..but you gave me perspective about finding happiness daily and start leaving the everyday stress at bay. That quote was definitely a reminder for me!

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  19. There is such a January in a good way feeling in this collection. Cold sun, deep under the surface activity, quiet huddling with your pack. (Those paws killed me in the best way.) My writing “desk” is our dining room table, and it sits in front of our corner of windows in the living room and it’s the best furniture move we’ve ever made. I feel so much more connected to all the creatures we share our yard with than I did when I wrote in other places. I hope you are getting what you need from this season. I feel as if winter is passing more quickly than I’d like.

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    1. Sometimes I use my dining room table to write, and I love it because it’s positioned so I can see both the backyard and the front yard at the same time. There’s a lot of natural light in that spot, and this time of year, it’s much needed.

      I’m soaking up as much as I can from this season. I’m really prioritizing taking care of myself. I’m making time for me every day, and at the end of the week, I reward myself for all I’ve accomplished. It’s helping.

      I’m glad you feel like winter is passing quickly! January felt like it lasted 50 days for me.

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  21. Even by your high standards, this post is exceptional – just stuffed full of good stuff. I suspect, what also makes it so wonderful is that the good stuff is stuff I need. I know I need change, and while this whole housing issue has been unsettling and worrisome, I believe it will be the start of good new things. Even though it looks like there could yet be an unexpected twist in the tale….

    Thank you Kari – this is so typical of your lovely generous nature <3 <3 <3

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    1. That is such a kind comment—thank you! Oh, friend, you are navigating your situation with so much optimism and grace. I’m so glad that any little snippets I share can be helpful in some way. They’ve been a huge help to me too, especially with everything rattling around in my head and heart right now. For you to connect this to generosity is absolutely lovely of you. I appreciate you and your thoughtful comments so much, Deb. 😘💕

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