marshmallow mouse

Marshmallow Mouse – the intro

What an odd name for a blog, no? Let me explain the story here. When I was young, like really young, like not even school-age young, my Grandpa Dan bestowed to me the moniker of “Marshmallow Mouse.” My sister affectionately, “Monkey Mouse.” While no one really knows of, or calls me by this name, it is one that I have held most dear my entire life. It has always been a piece of something that reminds me of simpler times, a slow life, lots of love , and an immense amount of gratitude for those moments.

Choosing it as the title of my blog is more than a nostalgic nod; it’s a reflection of what I want this space to be. Marshmallow Mouse is a little soft, a little silly, and a little whimsical — much like the way I (want) to see the world. It’s about finding sweetness in the small things and remembering that life, at its core, doesn’t have to be perfect to be lovely.

While I can thank Grandpa Dan for the nickname (and now, the cutest blog name), I also have to point out the biggest fan of my blog, before it ever even existed, Grandma Nina. I shared this dream of mine with her many years ago, and she never let me forget that she remembered and believed in me to do it. Thank you, Grandma, for always being my biggest cheerleader-even from hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of miles away. You truly embody all that I hope a Marshmallow Mouse could be.

a little about me

Not really born, but raised in South Louisiana, my roots have been created with an eclectic mix of southern charm and transplant sparkle. Despite living here the majority of my life, I still feel a little out of place from the Louisiana culture. Don’t get me wrong, LSU Football, Mardi Gras, and crawfish have my whole heart-but I still can’t tolerate spice, and I prefer Pepsi over Coke, sue me.

I’ve been currated by a loving family, some born into, and others blessed with. Family is the biggest, most precious value
of my life.

Outside of that, I have an immense passion for reading, crafting, cooking, overthinking, my dog Bean, microlearning, and traveling when my anxiety isn’t too terrible.

My biggest flex in life is that my favorite people (my chickens) call me Aunt Chels.

I recently transitioned from a decade-long career in hospitality to a corporate role where I get to continue to do what I love –planning and organizing. This shift has provided me with more stability and more consistency, and has equally left me with time to focus on what I want my next 10 years to look like. Which brings us to here…

a blog, really?

Let me make this make sense by overcomplicating it with a bit of a backstory.

I’ve always had a passion for writing, and equally, I’ve always had the tendency to make everything a worst-case scenario.

Just ask my mom.

The way I explain my thought process on life is by referencing one of my all-time favorite book series – A Series of Unfortunate Events. If you haven’t read them, lucky for you, there is already a movie and Netflix series based on the books… so you have no excuses.

In the series, there is one character that resonates with me to my core – Aunt Josephine.

For those unfamiliar, Aunt Josephine lives her life in fear. Afraid of doorknobs, picnics, using her radiator in fear it might explode, and, of course, a fear of realtors.

A real practical gal if you were to ask me.

The older I get, the more I feel like Aunt Josephine. But, ultimately, her fears still could not guard her from her fate, and while I can appreciate her cautious ways of thinking, I am certain that I do not want to live my life in fear.

With all of that being said, you can only begin to imagine the
reasons, and ways, and “Whys” I told myself why this could never happen. Never enough time… Never enough ideas … Never enough confidence… the list truly goes on and on.

While I appreciate the craftsmanship of Lemony Snickett and their stunning use of characterization, I have decided that I don’t want to be Aunt Josephine. I just want to be Aunt Chels.

Plus, I refuse to succumb to the Lake Lachrymose leeches! Whoops… spoiler alert.

The leeches are obviously a metaphor for self-doubt.

All that to say, yes, this is my blog. A transparent look into my mind, its quirks, and the tools I use to silence the noise, and focus on the small moments that make the whole “life” thing worth doing/ feeling /savoring fully.

why start now?

YEARS it has taken YEARS for me to finally put words into action and “just start the dang blog.” This dream has lived with me since my teenage years, and one that, while I have never forgotten, always felt too scared.

If I tried to put all the reasons why my path has finally led me to here, in this moment, I’d never get through the first blog posts. What it boils down to is that I don’t know what’s going on- who does? But I’m no longer letting that stop me. The fear of failure isn’t nearly as exhausting as the fear of never having tried.

At the start of 2025, the dream of having a blog was still lingering in my mind. With the return of my panic attacks and severe self-doubt, I told myself this would be the year. And while it may be October as I write this, you know what they say, “Better late than never.”

basically…

It might not be cute, or polished, or received in ways I hope for it to be, but it’s a testament to me showing up for me. And simultaneously, hoping to encourage others to do the same.

I want this space to embody me, while I still figure “Me” out. I’ll be sharing personal stories and lessons with a mix of things and moments I love.

Expect to see :

• Book reviews and recommendations, for both fiction and non-fiction
• A look at the crafts that bring me peace, and may or may not get finished in my expected time frame.
• Planning & organizing tidbits.
• Tools to manage the anxieties of life, but in a cute, “I’m a bad bitch, and I got bad anxiety” type of way.
• And a little bit of Lagniappe!

Hopefully, you will stick around through the journey- there’s bound to be some good shit. (Ha, good shit.)

I’m excited to bring this dream to fruition, and maybe my way of thinking can be of service to you. For now, I’ll leave you with a quote that continues to remind me of,

“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”

I’ll see you in the next one.

-C