As you read this, we're finishing our last-minute flurry of packing and gearing up to head to the airport. The house sitter is waiting in the wings, and even though our girls love him, well. They're anxious. Violet wants to see the Parthenon, and she hasn't yet forgiven us for not taking her along. She's huffy.

I've talked often here of my love of Greece and of our time there. I've talked about it on other people's blogs too (I'm looking at you, Miss ilikewantneed.), so the fact that we get to return, and are able to with any regularity is a great joy to me. Coming home. What's more lovely than returning to places that are beloved and familiar, and made more special because we see them rarely. That's how I feel.

Any time we travel to Europe for a conference of Neel's we tack on some time just for us. Traveling to Crete and Santorini on our last trip to Greece (gah, was it really seven years ago!), adding extra days in Budapest when we were in Hungary, and last year meeting Neel in London to spend time with lovely Annie. This year is no different, but it's special too.

This year, after Neel's conference, we're headed to Rome where we'll meet my dad and spend a few days there and then a few days on the Amalfi coast. And this is likely why Violet is angry with us. She wanted to see Pompeii. It's a dream-come-true for Neel, and for my budding Latin scholar as well. Let's face it, none of us can wait.

This trip is coming at a good time for me, I think. I've thought a lot about travel and how it changes us. How our routines change and how to incorporate those changes at home. There a sweeping huge benefits to travel, and I'm so glad we're able to raise our son with a love of travel and an appreciation of other cultures. But it's the smaller benefits that sometimes have the most impact. Learning you like olives at breakfast. Sharing the ritual of tea time, mugs spread across the table. Watching the late light play across the ceiling of your apartment as the clink and rustle of dinner preparation calls out below. I'm always wondering how I can get those routines to better translate at home. If I have any insight, I'll let you know.

I think it's a good time to take a media break as well. My online life has felt, in some places, prickly and uncomfortable of late. Not this space; this space means the world to me, and having you come here and connect with me at spl enriches my life more than I have words for. But I've been quietly watching things get prickly in other areas of my life, and I'm not liking it so much. So I think the break will be good. Recharge some of the things that need to be charged. And enjoy my family. That's the best. And the olives. And the feta. And the wine.

I'm sure I'll still be hanging out on Instagram, as wifi allows, so keep an eye out for me there. I know I won't be able to wait to see you all when I get back. XO

Sometimes the internet is such a cool place. And I know, sometimes it's creepy and overwhelming and addicting, but I've been trying to concentrate on gratitude lately, so let's stick with cool, shall we?

Remember that photo walk I took with my Lensbaby awhile back? We took that walk as a group of women who'd never met before (when are we doing it again, by the way?!), and instantly felt connected by our shared love of our cameras. We connected on Facebook and Instagram, and I feel so lucky to have their pictures continue to pop up in my feeds. So one of those women mentioned recently that she'd been tagged in a "My Everyday" challenge. Shoot your everyday for five days and post the photos to Facebook. She asked me to join along, and it was just the thing I needed!

Shooting my everyday moments are why I got the Fuji in the first place, and this challenge was just the thing I needed to slow down and pay attention. Face it, my days are pretty boring. I work alone, at home, with nothing but the dogs to keep me company until time to grab Cal from school. But this challenge made me stop and pay attention. It's the details that matter, right? A lunch. The way the dogs stare me down even after my food is gone. Homework time. A walk to my river. And that picture of Cal at the end of the hall? How many times have I seen just that view? Cal, digging in the closet for baseballs before he and Neel go out to throw. Without this challenge to focus my eye, I'm not sure I'd have ever thought to capture a moment that is so infused with what makes up our life right now.

Have you tried it? An everyday challenge? Some people shoot "A Day in the Life," and my friend Michele (who originally challenged me) is picking a theme each day (Her most recent was a series of photos of her son getting a haircut, and it was amazing!). Go on! You can do it! Stop and look around. Slow down. It's the details, the tiny insignificant moments that matter.

If you do decide to do an everyday challenge, please let me know. I'd love to know what you're up to, everyday.

take a break {still + life}

these days {life}