Consider the regular practice of unplugging a cleanse for the soul, an opportunity to listen to both yourself and others in a different way. Like many thirty-somethings, I am old enough to remember life prior to the internet, before cell phones or personal computers or even dial-up internet access. I remember car trips without the option of screens or electronic navigation. I remember writing nearly everything …
unplugged.
The endless cycle of idea and action, Endless invention, endless experiment, Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness; Knowledge of speech, but not of silence; Knowledge of words, and ignorance of the Word . . . . Where is the Life we have lost in living? – T.S. Eliot, The Rock We will be unplugging this weekend to camp …
–––About
I began Cloistered Away as a young mother, seeking to blend my love for our family and home with my personal interests in writing and photography. When we decided to homeschool our four children shortly after, I began sharing parts of that journey here, too. Over the years, I have recorded heartfelt stories, images, rhythms, and resources from our home, …
Sleep Rhythms + the Impact of Blue Light
Evening routines have become tricky with teenagers in the home. As fatigue sets in and I crave my bedroom space, they seem to move in the opposite direction, refueled after dinner and ready to settle into their most social hours. Yes, hours. Mark and I have laughed at how many times our boys have plopped onto our bed with a …
Connecting and Disconnecting
I have felt disconnected from this space a bit lately, from online life in general really. Perhaps it’s the pace of life the last few months or the thoughts I can’t manage to catch. Quite possibly, it’s the new puppy in our home, now competing for that early hour of morning quiet, or even simpler, the reality of writing online about out …
On Screentime + Managing the Internet at Home
The use of technology in childhood is one of the hottest topics for modern parents, and it seems where ever you land on the issue, it can be a potential point of shame and judgement, one where each family must establish strong justification for their home choices in the sea of varied opinion. Before I share my own, I think …
Nurturing Wholeness | Morning Rituals
NURTURING THE WHOLE SELF As a mother, it has become easy for me to define nurturing as something I give to others–whether in marriage, mothering, friendship, creative pursuits, or service–but I’m slowly realizing as life increasingly grows more full and complex (even in the best ways), I simply cannot give much of anything without first receiving. There is a reason flight …
Finding Community in Motherhood
Finding friendship as a mother can be challenging. Our time is so often filled with taking care of our homes and children and work that we can simply forget to reach out to our existing friends, let alone form new ones. Some friendships are for specific seasons, connections to help us through a specific time or transition. Others, often the …
here and there
I am still mentally swirling from my extended weekend trip to Virginia. As expected, the whole experience was both invigorating and exhausting, filling and depleting. I had forgotten the simplicity of traveling alone, the refreshment of an unplugged life, the disorientation of mingling in a sea of people I didn’t previously know in the flesh. That last part, of course, …
the playful home
I loved the early years of motherhood, the snuggly, baby-wearing years filled with firsts and discovery. At times, I miss the kids’ chubby baby legs or our quiet moments nursing and reading aloud together. I miss how organized and simple life’s routines felt at that time, a rhythm of eating, playing, and sleeping. Those were the sweet parts I now …
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