To 2023.

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 1, 2023January 1, 2023 personal reflections 3 Comments

Most years, New Year’s Day pork and greens and black-eyed peas has been one of the only meals I cooked. Short of a Crock-Pot here and there, it’s just never been my thing. But in…

A Friendly Holiday Reminder for Busy Parents Everywhere

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 27, 2018November 28, 2018 motherhood, personal reflections christmas, holiday Leave a comment

You do not have to do all the things. Seriously. You don’t. I heard this from a fellow busy mom today: Busy Mom: Yeah, my friend C was asking about my Christmas decorations today….

4 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Storytelling

By Sarah Martin HoodOctober 8, 2018November 4, 2018 motherhood, personal reflections colt, storytelling Leave a comment

I believe in storytelling. I believe it’s powerful and rewarding and beautiful and entertaining and illuminating and therapeutic. And I believe it’s a skill that can be learned. Even those of us who found and…

2017, it’s been real.

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 7, 2018November 4, 2018 motherhood, personal reflections colt, jeff, year in review Leave a comment

I’ve been back at work for a week now, but working from home with Colt until he’s back in school — and it all goes back to “normal” tomorrow. Yes, our beloved routine will hit…

(Remedial) Gardening Wisdom: Always Have Plan B

By Sarah Martin HoodMay 1, 2017November 4, 2018 personal reflections bonnie plants, colt, gardening 2 Comments

So I had this vision. When Colt brought home Gabby the Cabbage a few months ago, we were bitten by the gardening bug, and among the giant cabbage and the climbing tomato vines, I pictured…

Best of 2016

By Sarah Martin HoodDecember 31, 2016November 4, 2018 personal reflections 2016, colt, jeff, year in review 1 Comment

I have a love/hate relationship with these things. Nostalgic as they come, I love love love looking back and reliving stories and memories from this year, last year, all-time. But I hate having to choose….

Raising a Purple Kid in a Red and Blue World

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 3, 2016November 5, 2018 motherhood, personal reflections blue state, citizenship, election, purple state, red state, voting 2 Comments

Every night for a week now I’ve sat down at this screen and tried to put this into words. And every night for a week I’ve stared and edited and reworded and mumbled under my…

That Dress

By Sarah Martin HoodJune 5, 2016November 4, 2018 personal reflections #myRTR, fashion, rent the runway 2 Comments

I am not known for my fashion sense. Last year, I finally came out with it and blogged about my journey to the end of the color wheel and back, but I knew black wouldn’t…

Yesterday was amazing, but today is even better.

By Sarah Martin HoodFebruary 28, 2016November 4, 2018 personal reflections oscars 1 Comment

The Oscars are on. I love the Oscars. My undying love for the storytelling of film is truly a post for another day, but the Oscars is a concentrated evening of the best stories and…

2 Quarts of Self-Awareness for 2016

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 1, 2016November 4, 2018 personal reflections 2016, happy new year, resolution 5 Comments

When Colt was a baby, my friend Nancy highly recommended an item by Pampered Chef – the Quik-Stir Pitcher. The handle pumps up and down, and the fan-shaped panel at the bottom mixes like magic. She…

Summer is Half Full

By Sarah Martin HoodJuly 12, 2015November 4, 2018 motherhood, personal reflections colt Leave a comment

I used to come right out and say it. Summer Hours! I’ll blog when I feel like it! And it helped with the guilt I inevitably feel every time I realize just how much time has…

What I learned from my “Wear Color” phase

By Sarah Martin HoodFebruary 25, 2015September 17, 2016 personal reflections life list 5 Comments

I wear a lot of black. Like, a lot. My sister once mocked me by customizing a black t-shirt for me bearing the phrase: I’m only wearing black until they make something darker. That was…

2014 in the rearview

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 12, 2015September 17, 2016 motherhood, personal reflections 2014, balance, colt, jeff, year in review Leave a comment

[typography font=”Copse” size=”24″ size_format=”px” color=”#8c0510″]The unexamined life is not worth living.[/typography] [typography font=”Copse” size=”19″ size_format=”px”] – Socrates[/typography] We tried something new during both Hood and Martin family Christmases a few years ago, and we’ve now…

2015 :: Enough

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 2, 2015September 17, 2016 personal reflections #oneword365 7 Comments

Why do these posts always start with an audible sigh? Last year, I boarded the “one word” trend train at the suggestion of my friend, Jackie, and I loved the idea of throwing out traditional…

Chat Rooms, Dial-Up, and the Legend of SarahMcow

By Sarah Martin HoodMay 15, 2014September 17, 2016 personal reflections 4-H, fashion revue, sarahmcow, tbt, throwback thursday 5 Comments

Once upon a time it was 1994. A Clinton was in the White House, the Olympics were in Lillehammer, and my family got its first taste of the internet. AOL. Or America Online, as it…

That’s what happens when you #tcoyos

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 27, 2014September 17, 2016 personal reflections #tcoyos, blog, blogging tips for artists, retreat, writing 6 Comments

Almost a month ago now, the tribe got back together and confirmed that lightning can indeed strike the same place twice. If you remember back in the fall, I mentioned a group of women —…

The Sausage Making Process

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 10, 2014September 17, 2016 personal reflections blogging, Krizman's House of Sausage, writing process 4 Comments

Confession time: I’ve never made actual sausage. But one of my coworkers at the agency is a member of the Krizman family (of Krizman’s House of Sausage fame), and I trust that he knows a…

So… balance.

By Sarah Martin HoodMarch 4, 2014September 18, 2016 motherhood, personal reflections balance, colt 8 Comments

I sat right here a month ago and declared 2014 the year of Balance. You were here! You remember! And no sooner did I hit “Publish” on that well-meaning vision of the upcoming, reasonably-balanced, appropriately-prioritized…

2014: off to a running start

By Sarah Martin HoodFebruary 4, 2014September 17, 2016 personal reflections, running, work life balance #30DayChallenge, colt, jeff, little rock marathon, making plans, marathon training, resolutions, saatchi & saatchi X 2 Comments

You know those parents who hold off on naming a new baby until they meet him in the hospital? Typically, they have a few favorite names in mind, but they just need to see that…

Remember 2013?

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 24, 2014September 17, 2016 personal reflections colt, jeff, year in review 1 Comment

25 days ago, it was 2013. Man, January flies. By no means have I been putting off posting a highlight reel of our last year. It’s just that, well, do you know how much fun…