Category: A Simpler Motherhood

It’s past nap time and the clouds tell me it could be a good afternoon for a snooze, both for me and the kids. I ask the kids to quickly pick up and get their books to read. Legos, piles of books, and play food is scooped up and hauled away to the proper places. I look down as Lily tells me about dinosaurs and poison ivy. ‘Don’t let poison ivy fool you, Mom. It still hurts when the leaves turn red.’ I nod and then look down again and realize this might be the first time I have looked her in the eye all day.

We finish reading books on the couch and I walk Lily to her room to snuggle under her pink polka dot blanket. She nestles into me and I sweep a wild red hair behind her ear. And I do it then. I look into her bright blue eyes, full of wonder and things to tell me. And she does. She tells me about her books and her water glass and more about poison ivy. She knows she has my undivided attention and takes full advantage of it. I listen and try to memorize the way her braids are fuzzy all around her head and the way she crinkles her nose and then half smiles with her eyes looking up at the ceiling. I spend a few more minutes just listening, and then she walks me to the door and hugs my neck as I look her in the eye to tell her I love her.

With the meals and cleaning and teaching, it’s sometimes easy to forget the children in my home are actual living, breathing tiny humans. I am putting their needs first almost all day long and yet many times I fail to have a real conversation with them that doesn’t involve the word ‘no’ or ‘please do (or do not) __________’. It’s on me, this lack of close conversation. I am the sole person taking care of them 3/4 of the day. So why do I struggle with the daily practice of noticing, talking, and not hurrying through a conversation with my little people?

I don’t have an answer, but I do know I want to try and have more eye to eye conversations with the little ones in my home. It seems a simple practice, really. Get close to the ground and talk with them. Snuggle in bed and talk with them. Find a way to talk with them. And listen. When I think about how simple, yet living giving this thing can be, I almost kick myself for not being more intentional about it sooner. (Grace, grace!) And yet, here I am.

Today I want to be more intentional with the practice of looking my kids in the eye everyday and talking with them. I know most days they will probably say something like: ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I need some space’, but I still think it’s a worthy practice to instill in our daily rhythm.

How do you make time for conversations with your littles?

Last summer I completed an experiment using Jen Hatmaker’s book, 7. It challenged both me and my habits and got me thinking why I do what I do. A new habit formed from that experiment back in June of last year: Social Media Sabbath.

Every Sunday I take a break from Social Media. From when I wake up on Sunday to when I wake up on Monday, I am not checking Facebook or Instagram or any other platforms. I might check email or Marco Polo, but I am staying off the socials. And it has been so good for me. So good, in fact, I have continued this Social Media Sabbath and am wondering if and when I should take it further, but that’s another post for another day.

How much are we using social media?

45% of the world’s population use social media and 88% of Americans between the ages of 18-29 use it. If you’re reading this, there is a pretty good chance you have a social media account: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Snapchat, etc. As digital consumers, we spend about 2.5 hours on social media everyday. That’s 38 days a year. 38. That’s more than 10% of our year spent liking, sharing, tweeting, and watching stories.

How does social media affect us?

Whether we want to believe it or not, social media affects our mental health. More and more studies are being done on this topic and the findings are showing both correlation and causation. Basically, how much time spent on social media directly affects our mental health.

A study done by The University of Pennsylvania had a group of students either continue their current use of social media or limit their social media use to thirty minutes a day: 10 minutes each on Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram. They used surveys before and after this experiment and tracked use on the students’ phones. They found students who limited their social media use described a significant decrease in depression and loneliness.

Social media can be useful in numerous ways, but intentionality is what keeps it useful and keeps it from being a problem. If we use it unrestrained, it can actually cause harm we may not even realize. If we can be aware of how much we are using it and how we are using it, we can use it in a healthy way.

Social Media Sabbath

Following through with a Social Media Sabbath has been so incredibly good for me. It has allowed me a day of rest from the noise of the world and given me respite to be with my thoughts and my family. It has allowed me to be more present with my people and give them my undivided attention.

As I wrote the above paragraph, it made me a bit sad. I have let social media seep into my everyday, six days a week. It distracts me from my own thoughts and family. It divides my attention and has me thinking about other things when I could be in the moment with my people.

My personal findings as I processed and wrote my thoughts in this post are this: I need to find a way to be more intentional with my social media use on a day to day basis. Taking a break one day a week is good, but I want better.

The way I live my days is the way I live my life.

What now?

Thanks for sticking with me on this topic. If you’re looking to be intentional with your social media use, let me offer a few questions and ideas to get you thinking about how to do this.

Question: How much do you think you use social media in a normal day?

Idea: Download the Moment app to track your phone use and also check in on your phone to check your percentages of use. You can do this by going to Settings > Battery.

Question: How do you feel after scrolling through Facebook or Instagram?

Idea: Check in with yourself often and try to pinpoint if there is anything that makes you feel less than, lonely, or gives you that FOMO (fear of missing out) feeling.

Follow-up Idea: After you pinpoint this, don’t be afraid to unfollow some accounts to help with those feelings.

I want to reiterate I am not ready to burn down social media. I find it useful and a great way to connect with both old and new friends. However, it can be harmful unless we begin to be intentional with the way we use it. How will you start to be intentional with your social media use?

Will I remember what I did on an ordinary day 20 years from now? It’s quite possible I won’t, unless I write it down. The Art of Simple blog, founded by Tsh Oxenreider, has inspired me to write down an ordinary day in my current phase of life. My hope is it will inspire others to do the same, as well as give me a glimpse into what my daily life looked like 20 years from now when I just can’t remember.

My Day in the Life looks like chaos, a bunch of deep breaths, and some mini victories scattered throughout the minutes and meals. I’m a stay at home mom raising three children 6, 4, 2 with one baby boy due in August. We live in rural Iowa with just enough space my kids can scream at the top of their lungs and there is a good chance no one’s ears but mine will endure it. My oldest, Luke, is doing kindergarten at home with me this year and our middle child, Lily, is completing preschool at home as well. Our youngest, Jude, tags along on all our adventures. Our life is simple and messy and full of chaos and love. For better or worse, here is our day in the life…

5:50 – My alarm goes off. I lay there for five minutes thinking about the day ahead and then get up, make the bed, stretch on the floor for a few minutes, and take a shower. After my shower, I start a load of laundry.

6:17 – I fill up my water pitcher for the morning and get homeschool supplies out for the day. I sit on the couch with my Bible, laptop, and daily notebook. I read about Paul, pray, and write 5 things I’m grateful for.

6:47 – Lily gets up and cuddles with me on the couch while I catch up on Marco Polo. I also order Luke’s math curriculum for next year and pay a few bills. Lily puts her hand on my belly and feels the baby kick. Her sleepy eyes in the morning always get me.

7:10 – Kevin gets Luke and Jude up. I start breakfast for the kids: mini pancakes and yogurt and Cheerios for them, eggs and toast for me.

7:55 – The kids finish breakfast and get dressed while I clean the kitchen. They start playing while I hang up laundry from the washer and put another load in.

8:15 – Luke is completing a plane puzzle and I read him a book for social studies as well as our novel at the moment: The Family Under the Bridge. Lily sits next to me while I read and Jude is playing with cars.

8:45 – I change Jude’s diaper and get him dressed. The kids ask me to help them with their kangaroo and shark costumes. I go to vacuum downstairs and the kids follow me down, in costume, and play music on the keyboard. I post a video on Instagram stories. A few minutes later, I find Luke and Lily in Lily’s room reading books.

9:20 – The kids meet me in the playroom after the timer goes off. They need a few reminders to get their little behinds there for school. We go through our ‘circle time’ talking about the calendar, letter Y, and read a few poems. The kids share their show and tell. Lily and Jude go downstairs to play and Luke gets his school box and meets me at the dining room table. Luke writes in his journal about his beloved dinosaur stamps and draws a picture. He gets frustrated I can’t figure out ‘shimps’ is ‘stamps’. We dive into math and Luke completes a few pages on skip counting and adding hundreds. Jude runs back and forth from the pantry to me saying ‘Mommmmmaaa’. Lily has somehow changed clothes again, she is on outfit number three.

10:17 – Luke puts his supplies and folder away and I call Lily to the table. Luke takes the whiteboard to copy dinosaur names on it from a book. Lily needs a few reminders to come to the table and she finally comes, without her school box. She goes and gets it and completes her calendar, practices her name a few times and then draws in her journal. Jude gets his scooter out and is spinning around in the kitchen. Lily and I talk about squares and she traces some while Jude and Luke put together a train puzzle.

10:40 – I put school books away and plan our homeschool for next week. I watch a Marco Polo from a friend and then record one while Jude plays next to me on the couch. I can hear Luke and Lily singing ‘Happy Birthday’ from Lily’s room.

11:05 – I start a lunch of peanut butter and jelly with apples and oranges. I make a flatbread cheese pizza for me. I call the kids to the table and lunch is filled with giggles and jokes and me trying to keep their bottoms in their chairs. Jude laughs at Luke and Lily for no apparent reason. Luke and Lily argue over who the daffodils in the vase are pointing to. (Really?)

11:50 – I can’t wait any longer and I turn on the LSU vs. Yale March Madness game while the kids finish up lunch. The kids filled out brackets last night with Kevin. I tell Lily she is cheering for the blue team (Yale) and the rest of us are cheering for the white team (LSU). After the children and kitchen are clean, I sit down on the couch to watch the game. Luke and Lily go to play basketball downstairs and then they join Jude upstairs building with manga tiles.

12:55 – I turn off the game (reluctantly) and have the kids pick up and get ready for nap. I read Jude three train books and put him down for a nap. Luke and Lily each choose a book and I read to them. I cut Lily’s fingernails and then cuddle with her in bed.

1:27 – Luke and I go through his reading lesson on the couch. He chooses to watch Dinosaur Britain for his reward and I doze off (as always) as he finishes it. He uses the bathroom and I walk him to his room.

1:55 – I head downstairs to do some office work for the farm. After I complete a few tasks, I grab my ear buds and head to the backyard to cut back some dead plants in the garden, take the trash out, and check the mail. I listen to Jamie Ivey’s podcast while I work.

2:50 – I gather my laptop, my daily notebook, my brackets and sit on the couch. I multitask by watching the games and finishing up the podcast. Baby Boy starts kicking me like crazy and I stop to take it in. I chug some water and eat a Snickers ice cream bar. After finishing up the podcast, I start a blog post about clutter and write for 30 minutes.

4:02 – I close my laptop and get the kids up. Luke comes right out and starts playing while I cuddle with Lily in her bed. She gets dressed (she changed into pajamas during nap time) and comes out to play with Luke. I get Jude up and we all go outside to ride bikes in the sunshine.

5:20 – We come inside and I change for Journey Group. About 10 minutes later Kevin gets home and his parents come in. I relay a few things about dinner, give kisses, and Kevin and I are out the door.

6:18 – Kevin and I pull into Cellar 19 to get our carry out order and eat. We pick up groceries from Wal-Mart pick-up and then head to Journey Group.

6:55 – We arrive at Journey Group and discuss upcoming social events and then dive into discussing Paul and the early church.

8:15 – We leave Journey Group feeling filled up.

9:10 – We pull into home, unload groceries, and say good-bye and thank you to Kevin’s parents.

9:20 – I wash my face and pick up the kitchen and living room. I sit down to watch a bit of March Madness with Kevin and my phone tells me to go to bed.

9:45 – Kevin and I head to bed. It doesn’t take me long to fall asleep tonight. My body is tired and I know it needs the rest because there is a good chance I will wake in the middle of the night feeling those sweet baby kicks.

If you made it all the way to the end, you are a trooper! Thanks for sticking with me.

Tell me, what does your ordinary day look like? An easy way to track your day is to use the ‘notes’ app on your phone and take notes throughout the day. I plan on doing this once a year so I’m able to look back and catch a glimpse into my life at each and every stage. What do you think, are you in?

Spring is officially upon us, at least the calendar tells us it is.  Here in the midwest we are finally getting some temps above freezing and the snow has almost all melted (which is no small feat after the winter we have had). On the farm, we are waist deep in mud, but the sun has been shining and we will dry out eventually. Our neighbors in Nebraska haven’t been as lucky. We are praying for them as they navigate the devastating flooding. Needless to say, we are ready for spring.

For me, spring and fall are the hardest capsule wardrobes to curate.  Mainly because it feels like there are two or three seasons in one.  When I was creating my spring capsule, I tried to think all the way through May.  I have items I am wearing a lot right now and some items I probably won’t wear much for a month or so.  This isn’t a strict, no-buts-about-it-wear-only-what-you-picked-back-in-March spring capsule.  There is a very good chance I will switch some things out when the weather warms and my arms and legs are able to see and feel the sun.  

I am also pregnant so my body is growing and changing constantly, so most of my items are chosen because they have room to grow.  I’ve mentioned this lots before, but I’m not aiming for a specific number of items in my closet, just enough for me.  

Here is what is included in my spring capsule wardrobe:

1 jean jacket

1 zip up jacket

5 long sleeve tunics

7 t-shirts

1 cardigan

1 dressy tank top

5 sweaters (I have a feeling these will get put away at the beginning of May.)

1 long sleeve jean top

1 kimono

1 hooded pull over

4 dresses

2 pairs of leggings

3 pairs of jeans

Again and completely by accident, I ended up at 33 items, the same number Courtney Carver uses in her Project 333. My list does not include shoes or jewelry, while Carver dresses with 33 items total including shoes and jewelry.

I’m curious, are you creating a capsule wardrobe for this spring? I would love to know!

I just got home from lunch with a friend, a rare occurrence these days between homeschooling, changing diapers, feeding little humans, and keeping the Cheerios swept up. A rare occurrence indeed. But when the opportunity came, I knew I must seize it because who knows when the next one will surface. So, I asked a favor from my husband who happened to be home (thank you President’s Day) and scooted out the door to have some hot soup and good conversation.

At lunch we talked about our kids and all the sickness going around. We discussed the snowstorm likely to dump five more inches on our already rather large piles of snow. We chatted about our weekends and then it went a bit deeper as we shared our struggles in our current seasons. I shared my shame for not serving as much as I like in our church and elsewhere. And then it’s as if no one else was around and we encouraged each other, told one another truths, and built each other up. I left lunch feeling filled up, loved, and known.

Friendships while raising littles can be a struggle. And when I stop and think about why, it all comes down to time. Our time is taken up by diapers and preschool and nap time and soccer practice and getting dinner on the table. All things worthy of our time and efforts, but sometimes there seems like there isn’t enough for much else. Friendships can sometimes take a back seat to everything else during this season.

In fact, an online survey done by Child found women spent 14 hours with friends before having kids and just 5 hours with friends after having kids.

But, friends, can I share something with you? I have found it is always worth the sacrifice, the extra work, the screaming kids to make time for friendship. It’s absolutely not easy, but so worthwhile. My friendships are not picture perfect and each one looks different. We don’t see each other as often as we like, but we make the effort. And the effort is what matters.

My friends are who I can share my ridiculous days with, my outlandish kid stories, my struggles and triumphs. They are the ones I turn to for support, encouragement, and love. In fact, when it was taking my husband and I longer than anticipated to conceive our fourth child, it was my friends who I turned to and they showed up. They listened and pointed me towards truth and loved me where I was at.

Friendships seem to be the first thing to go when life gets overwhelming or there are too many balls in the air. But sometimes it’s those times when we need our friends the most. Going through something hard with strong friendships by my side has taught me to be intentional with the people I choose to do life with and make time for them. They are vital and necessary and important and life giving.

Yes, it can be hard to find the time. Yes, it can be a struggle with kid schedules to juggle. Yes, it is sometimes easier to just stay home and say ‘next time’. But, goodness, when the lunch or playdate works out or (gasp) the stars align and a girl’s weekend is in the books, it always reminds me it’s worth the time, the struggle, the work to make it happen.

Friendships matter, especially in motherhood.

150 people. Can you count and name each and every person close to you? Would your list be long? Say more than 150 people?

Robin Dunbar, an anthropologist, hypothesized 150 people as being the amount of close, stable relationships a human can maintain. The term used to describe this hypothesis is Dunbar’s number. Since Dunbar’s number was first proposed in the 1990s, he has conducted considerable research to both support and explore this idea further.

When I first heard about Dunbar’s number, I thought 150 was a lot of close relationships to maintain, but then I started counting. When I add up family and friends, the number gets big, quick. Dunbar describes the group of 150 as being ‘the number of people you would not feel embarrassed about joining uninvited for a drink if you happened to bump into them in a bar’. When described that way, my introverted self immediately crossed some names off my list. #introvertsamiright

There are more details to Dunbar’s hypothesis including the layers of relationships. He describes the first layer as being five people with whom you are closest with (probably family members and best friends), followed by layers of 15, 50, and then 100 people. Different articles have cited the max number of close relationships can be as low as 100 for some people and as high as 250 for more extroverted humans.

When I first heard about Dunbar’s number, I was a bit skeptical, but then it came together for me. I asked myself how many people can I maintain relationships with meaning a.) I know what’s going on in their life because b.)we communicate regularly. Everything is relative in this life, so communicating regularly looks a lot different today than it did when I was in college living, breathing, and doing dishes with seven roommates. But, I do believe this definition is a good measure of relationship and I do believe my capacity to maintain stable relationships has possibly diminished since my college days (just a tad). Raising tiny humans will do that to you.

As a mom of three and one on the way, I crave deep, meaningful relationships. I want to truly know someone and for them to know me. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the really ugly. I want to be able to tell someone about the day I apologized five times to my kids and the morning I bribed my kids with chocolate bars to not touch a single thing at Hobby Lobby. Honestly, I don’t have a lot of time (or energy) to fake it. And I have found that means the number of meaningful relationships is probably lower than I (or anyone for that matter) would expect. Lower, but better. I’m not sure what Dunbar says about parent-child relationships (or season of life), but I am thinking my children are in my close five, seeing as I spend almost every waking minute with their sweet faces.

With Dunbar’s layering, he leaves room for relationships that don’t go super deep, but are good, fun, valuable, and sometimes necessary. Bottom line: he states you still have a lot of friends, our brains are just wired to be in tight community with a select few.

So my big takeaway from Dunbar’s research?

I want to focus on going deep with those most important to me. I want to make the phone call, write the letter, call my mom, check in with the friend, play with my kids, go on a date with my husband. I want to maintain those relationships, meaning I am in close community with the ones I deeply care for and love. It’s shown me I need to make the effort to love on the ones I love.

What about you? Does this research resonate with you? Why or why not?

I am curled in the side of the couch, legs covered with a blanket, glass of water and husband next to me. He sits a few feet away, his body turned towards mine. All our babies are tucked under their covers and the walls of our house are abruptly quiet.

It’s a Wednesday night and after the flurry of getting the kids in from church, the kids telling Daddy all about their night, and getting them dressed and put to bed, I let out a sigh I didn’t know I had in me.

I roll onto my side and we begin to chat. First about the kids and their milkshakes they ate on the way home. Then about work and school and a trip we want to take. Our conversation bounces around as we actually look at one another and share a thirty minute ‘night cap’ on the couch.

Dating my husband has looked different these past 11 1/2 years, but it is always worthwhile. Dates help us to be on the same page as we navigate this life. It allows us to remember why we decided to spend the rest of our lives together in the first place. It gives us shared experiences and time for real conversations we wouldn’t otherwise be able to have with littles running around our feet. Time together gives us a chance to talk about parenting and family goals and us. Dates help our relationship to stay healthy and thrive. And when our relationship is healthy, it models a good marriage relationship for our kids and supports them in feeling safe and secure in our family. In my experience, dating my husband has been a worthy investment I will make over and over again.

But, I’ll be honest, dates have not always come easy, especially these past six years. We have had three babies in six years and another one will join us in six short months. We have had to be creative in how we connect and intentional with dating each other.

Parenthood looks a lot different from one year to the next. One moment we are running on three hours of sleep and our ‘clean’ shirt has spit up down the front. The next moment we’re shuttling kids to preschool and then soccer games and swim lessons. It all changes so quickly.

In each of those moments of parenthood, I believe there is room for a thirty minute ‘night cap’ with a spouse. Or maybe there isn’t room, but we make room anyway. You see, Kevin and I aren’t even close to being through every parenthood season, yet, but the ones we have been through I know I want him and I to be on the same page. We need to be united, connected, a team. And I have found we can only be a team by spending some time together, usually without the distraction of our sweet blessed children.

Here are some ways we have intentionally made dates work in every season of parenthood:

Have a date after the kids go to bed.

There are about one million ideas out there on how to have a date at home, but I think it’s most important to simply have a date. Put it on the calendar, plan to actually put the kids down on time, and make it happen. I am a big fan of writing things down because I think it actually helps to make the thing happen, hence putting it on the calendar.

Kevin and I have done this many times in different seasons when it was just impossible to get out of the house for a date. All it takes is a little intentionality and maybe a bit of creativity. Honestly, most of our at home dates look like a glass of wine and some uninterrupted conversation. But, creativity breeds creativity so anything goes here. Games, books, a date in a box, take out. I think if we make dates fun and worthwhile for both ourselves and our spouse, it will produce a bigger return on investment.

Have a mini happy hour.

In newborn seasons when we aren’t putting a baby to bed until late at night, we have opted for a mini happy hour. Basically I make a super simple meat and cheese board and we might open a bottle of wine. There have been times we put on a show for the bigs while the baby is taking a nap and have a thirty minute conversation without (much) distraction. We did this when we were in the trenches and we made due the best we could.

Start the day together.

Kevin and I have not personally done this, but I have heard other couples who do it almost everyday. Before the kids get up in the morning, these couples have coffee together, pray and start their day before the kids roll from their beds. If time seems obsolete a little sacrifice may be needed to get up early and squeeze in some time together.

Get out of the house with a kid swap.

This is another one Kevin and I haven’t tried, but I have heard moms rave about it. Basically these moms find another family that lives close by whom they trust. Then they ask if they would be willing to swap kids once a month for a date night. There is not sitter fee AND a date is in the books each month!

Find a good sitter.

Good babysitters are like gold to parents. We have had a few good ones since we have started having kids and it’s always selfishly heartbreaking to see them grow up and get jobs in the real world. But when we have found a good sitter, we will do much to hold onto him/her.

A few tips on how to find a good sitter: look and ask around for middle school girls. Why? Middle school girls still love playing with kids, they don’t have a loaded extracurricular schedule, and they are around through high school. The only downfall of a middle school girl is she won’t be able to drive, but she makes up for it with her enthusiasm. A place to look for these sitters are girls serving at church in the kids’ ministry and nursery. There are some gems hiding in there, just itching to babysit. Finding a good sitter has given us freedom we didn’t know existed with littles at home.

Don’t be afraid to ask.

We have been blessed with some amazing sets of grandparents who are willing to watch our kids. All families are different, but I think it’s worthwhile to ask grandparents for help. Many of them are just waiting to be asked to step in and help.

A shift happened for me when I looked at it from their perspective. When my babies have babies, would I want to be asked to babysit? Yes, yes, YES. It would be an absolute joy and blessing to watch my grand babies someday. Like I said earlier, all families are different, but I think it’s worth an ask.

Dating in our marriage has been one of the best things Kevin and I have done for our marriage and family. It’s not always Instagram worthy, but has definitely been worthwhile. Tell me, how do you date your spouse?

The first day of winter was back before Christmas, but it always feels to me like winter starts after all of Christmas is packed away. Warm socks, sweaters, and boots come out and we prep to endure the bitterly cold months ahead. In the midwest, these months can be long and gray and cold. They can also be magical with blanket forts, snow angels, twinkle lights, and hot cocoa.

I’ve just recently put together my winter capsule wardrobe. There are more clothing items because more layers are needed when it’s 15 degrees outside (or -15). It’s simple math. However, I took a different approach this time when I was choosing things to keep in my wardrobe. I asked myself one question:

If I were to go shopping today, would I buy this?

This simple question helped me to narrow down my wardrobe considerably and only choose things I really love to put on my body: my trusted gray sweatshirt, my high rise leggings, those thick wool socks, that sweater that matches my eyes. The question afforded me new eyes in which to look at my closet and helped me to finally donate some items I just don’t get excited about anymore.

Here is the breakdown of my wardrobe:

5 sweatshirts/comfy shirts

1 dress

3 short sleeve t-shirts

1 dressy tank top

3 cardigans

6 sweaters

2 button down tops

2 vests

2 pairs of leggings

1 pair of skinny black jeans

1 pair of high rise skinny jeans

1 pair of brown ankle boots

1 pair of black ankle boots

1 pair of black knee high boots

1 pair of waterproof boots

1 pair of sneakers

1 winter coat

I didn’t plan it, but somehow I ended up with 33 items, the same number of items for Courtney Carver’s Project 333. If you’re interested, check out her site for more information. It’s a great challenge.

I’m not big on having or not having a specific number of items, but I’m always interested to see how many items there are in my capsule wardrobe.

Have you put together a capsule wardrobe for this winter? I would love to hear.