Archives for April 2015

A collection of our ordinary days, recorded every week.  At the end of the year, I’ll publish them into a keepsake to treasure.

Around here, I have been:

tired.  One by one, everyone from Mark down to TJ has been hit with a sickness that just won’t go away. Barking coughs, sweats and chills, small fevers…they’ve all been miserable and I’ve been doing my best to keep everybody comfortable.  We’ve been watching lots of movies and adding in “fun stuff” to keep things interesting (ie. bubble blowing, going out for milkshakes and ordering pizza).  I hope we can all get back to normal soon.

not running.  Not once; I couldn’t get away!  After 10 full weeks of training, it feels weird, but I think my body appreciates the unintended break.  Hoping to get back in the swing of things this weekend.    

realizing that “quiet time” doesn’t have to equal total silence to be fruitful.


grateful.  Mark was in a car accident last week (he’s fine) and we were worried that his car would be totaled.  Thankfully, it’s fixable and covered by insurance…we can avoid a car payment a bit longer!   

reading A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France. 

grossed out when J literally picked a fly from his eye.  He ran in the house from playing outside saying his eye hurt and then with some rubbing, came to me with dead fly in hand.  Ick.  

donating money to a friend running for a great cause.  I’d love to race and raise money for charity someday…maybe for half marathon number two!

selling our unneeded homeschool books on ebay.  It feels good to get this goal checked off my list. Now hopefully they will sell!

A collection of our ordinary days, recorded every week.  At the end of the year, I’ll publish them into a keepsake to treasure.

Around here, I have been:

prioritizing my daily to-dos differently.  I am typically a brain dump/get it all on paper kind of planner.  But lately, as I’ve felt constantly behind and generally unaccomplished, I’ve realized my technique may actually be causing more stress.  So instead, I have started writing three big items that I want to accomplish that day.  Just three.  I write down other things too, but the goal is cross off my top three.  So far, it’s working and I’ve been going to bed feeling peaceful.  

delighting in my children.  Motherhood is HARD but it doesn’t have to be miserable.  After a draining winter, I’m adopting a new mindset and wow, my soul needed it.  Trying to find the good in my everyday, intentionally being joyful and mirroring that to my children, and remembering how truly blessed I am.  Everything I have is a gift.

reading A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France. 


cooking lots of new things.  I’ve made pancakes twice for breakfast and am perfecting my hearts and stick men.  I also made Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake and One Pot Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli and Rice.  Both were delicious. 


laughing at J as he repeatedly calls shorts “short sleeve pants”.  

ordering M’s standardized testing.  It is a homeschooling requirement in our state and I’m curious to see how he’ll do.  He’s a little nervous, so I’m already making plans to make the day special.  Maybe some Smarties candy between tests?    


dying at the way Sophie says silly – she pronounces it “see-yee” with a little twinkle in her eye and it’s the cutest thing ever.


running without music during my short runs.  Another attempt at less noise, less auditory clutter and more quiet.


caring for D, who has been feeling sick most of the week.  I’m not sure if he’s come down with a spring cold or maybe it’s allergies.  Thursday morning, he asked if he could just lay on the couch and rest.  So unlike him!  He also skipped out on soccer voluntarily, so I know he’s feeling crummy.  Hopefully he’ll be back to himself soon.
 
watching episodes of Fixer Upper and wishing I could renovate an old home!  My dream of owning a farmhouse is back with a passion.

making Big White Farmhouse a priority again.  The ideas are rolling again and I’m feeling really excited for what’s to come.  We are currently having a big spring sale until next Wednesday: 20% off with the coupon code “HELLOSPRING”!


homeschool notes:
+ We had a really great week in history.  We read the story of Cyclops and made origami eyes.  We also learned all about the first Olympics, made olive wreath crowns and are gearing up for a family Olympics this weekend.  Sunday dinner will also be a Greek feast!

There’s a fun game going around Instagram where you share 20 facts about yourself and then tag a few friends to do the same.  I kept getting interrupted trying to write my list on my phone, so I just decided to share on the blog!  Here are 20 things you probably didn’t know about me:


1. I tend to squint when I smile big, making for really great pictures as you can see above.
2. I have a big sweet tooth and my favorite treat in the whole world is a doughnut.  I prefer chocolate frosted or sprinkle, but I’ve never been known to turn a doughnut away, especially a fresh one.
3. After watching from the sidelines for years, I started running in the spring of 2012 and it’s changed my life for the better.  Also helpful to combat #2.  
4. I’m running my first half marathon next month and I think it would be fun to run one in every state.  My husband thinks I’m crazy.
5. Math was my favorite subject in school.
6. When I was pregnant with TJ, I craved and ate tomatoes every day.  It truly was my first healthy craving during pregnancy; my usual choices are cheeseburgers and ice cream.
7. I don’t like mashed potatoes, but will eat them scalloped or as hashbrowns.  It’s a texture thing.
8. When I graduated middle school, I was named “Most Likely to be a Librarian” and was mortified.  I mean, how uncool is a librarian?  Now, at 30, I think it’d make a pretty awesome job.
9. I’m not a big drinker, a fact that doesn’t bother me, but surprises other people.
10. I always thought I’d be a mother to a lot of boys, but I’m so grateful God had other plans and gave me Sophie too.  I’m a better person because of her.
11. My dream is to move to a farmhouse on an acre (or five or ten) of land.  There aren’t tons of options where we live (hello suburbia!), but I’m hoping we can find a diamond in the rough someday.
12. I never really liked coffee until my third baby was born.  Now I drink two cups a day and only with a splash of milk.  Funny the lengths you’ll go to combat exhaustion.
13. The only time I’ve left the country was for World Youth Day in Toronto in 2002.  
14. My husband is my best friend and he can make me laugh more than any other person.
15. I hate being late and try to be at every commitment at least ten minutes early.  “Hurry up and wait” is my motto, which I get from my grandmother and my father.
16. I’ve had epidurals for all of my babies and don’t regret it.  
17. We had a really small wedding with only our family and best friends present, about 35 people in all.  It was perfect and a weekend that we still talk about.
18. We’re celebrating our 10 year anniversary this fall.  I can’t believe how fast the time has gone.
19. If I were to go back to school, I think I would study graphic or interior design.
20. I’m so thankful for all of the women I’ve met through the blog and social media.  It’s so encouraging to have relationships with like-minded mothers and I know they’ve made me feel less alone in this stage in my life.  I wish I could have everyone over for dinner!

A collection of our ordinary days, recorded every week.  At the end of the year, I’ll publish them into a keepsake to treasure.

Around here, I have been:

enjoying a few days of spring weather (one day was in the mid-70s!) before it turned cold and rainy.  I know warm temperatures are on their way, but gosh is it hard to wait when we get previews like Monday! 

making homemade bread in the bread machine and the kids love it.  I made three loaves in two days!   


receiving new product for Big White Farmhouse.  We restocked the You are My Sunshine and Best Buds garden markers, as well as the napkin rings. 


smiling at sweet Sophie’s latest: As we were about to leave the house, she went through the names of all her brothers, asking if they were coming with us.  After I answered, she paused, pointed to her feet and asked, “Me boots come too?”   

dealing with a home owner disaster: our water heater flooded! Mark fortuitously discovered the water while looking for something in our basement.  It was about nine at night and we spent the next couple hours using every towel we own (and blankets and sheets), sopping it all up.  A new water heater and a smaller savings account later, we’re almost back to normal.

running my first tempo run for my training and feeling great!  9 mile long is coming this weekend.

reading A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France 

preparing to try container gardening for the first time.  I’m determined that this is the year I find my green thumb!  We’re still deciding how much we want to tackle, but tomatoes, peppers and herbs are on the list.