our evenings

it seems as though there is always something to be done in the evenings- a sink full of dirty dishes to wash, a bath tub to scrub, a garden bed to weed & a project to finish. thankfully, we have learned to make these daily tasks part of our evening routine. our evenings look a little like this…

we always take a moment to walk out to the garden & check on our animal first.
simply being outside helps us transition from work life into home life, a transition that is difficult for me to make most days. pulling a few weeds, giving the girls a handful of scratch or munching on a sugar snap always helps me to settle into a calmer rhythm.

a trip to the gym or an evening walk most nights.
we recently joined a gym & it has helped lift our moods tremendously. i like using the elliptical machine & taking the weekly zumba class. luke usually runs around the track & lifts some weights. when we have had an unusually long day, we take an evening walk around the block with our dog, huck.

make dinner together.
our budget doesn’t allow for many dinners out & honestly we prefer dinners at home anyway. our meals are often made with fresh ingredients from our garden & the farmers’ market so with a bit of chopping & a little sauteing, we have a meal in less than an hour. last night we made chinese “take out” fried rice {better than the real thing!} with a side of edamame & watermelon.

clean up.
luke is always responsible for washing dinner dishes & i do other odd jobs. sometimes i vacuum & other times i dust or pick-up. settling in for the evening is always more enjoyable with a clean home & we strive to make that happen every evening.

settle in with a good book or a show.
even if we are exhausted, we try to enjoy some real relaxation before bed. i try to avoid the internet in the evenings because i am online most of the day so a good book is always a great end to my day. right now i am reading the dirty life & luke is enjoying the art of fermentation, a new release from the wonderful katz. we also love watching new girl, the only show we ever really watch.

i miss our evenings spending time with friends at dinner parties & local cafes in our old town, but the rhythm we have found together in our new place is one that i am beginning to embrace.
how do you spend your time in the evenings?