The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

No.133: Seven (Totally Unnecessary) Things I Love for Running

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The best part of running is that it doesn’t require a lot of stuff.  The only equipment you really need are sneakers and even that’s negotiable: I’ve run races with guys who go totally barefoot!  But like any hobby, there are always extra things that are helpful or just plain fun.  So while none of these items are anything you have to have, I love reading about gear that works for different people and maybe you do too!

1 // A CHALLENGE
Last summer, I signed up for the Amerithon Challenge, a virtual fitness challenge which has you spanning the United States – 3,521 miles!  You can choose your mode of travel (run, walk, swim, bike, a mix of all, etc.) and there is also the option to do the challenge as a team.  I decided to go it alone, only tracking my running mileage.  I’ve been chipping away little by little and it’s fun to color in the map as I go.

2 // RECORDING DATA
I’m very number-driven and I like to see my progress.  I’ve tried a few different apps, but my favorite is still Runkeeper. I really like that I can sync my running watch to it so I have both indoor and outdoor runs all in one place.  (Mark bought me a Garmin Forerunner 220 years ago and I don’t think they make them anymore, but this watch looks to be similar.)

3 // JOURNALING
I received this Believe training journal for Christmas and I love it for its simplicity.  I write out my mileage and stats, but I also like to break down difficult workouts, note nagging pains and reflect on how I was feeling.

4 // FUNCTIONAL GEAR
The choices in this arena are vast – there are so many great companies with products perfect for runners!  I’m pretty low maintenance and will run in just about anything, but my favorites to date are still my Athleta capris {similar} and my barefoot shoes.  I’m also a big fan of compression calf sleeves when I start increasing my mileage for a race.

5 // FUN TANKS
Mark and the kids bought me three new tanks for Mother’s Day and I think they describe me to a T: “I’d Give Up Carbs, But I’m Not a Quitter”, “Will Run For Donuts”, and “Strong As a Mother”.  They’re cotton and not the best choice for sweaty summer runs, but I wear them anyway because they’re awesome.

6 // ENTERTAINING PODCASTS
A 30-minute run is the perfect amount of time to listen to a podcast episode.  I’ve been trying a bunch of new ones; there really is something for everyone!

7 // DELICIOUS POST-WORKOUT DRINKS & MEALS
My favorite post-run recovery drink is mixing a Nuun tablet with a scoop of collagen peptides.  So refreshing!  I also love the Run Fast, Eat Slow cookbook for healthy meal choices.  Everything I’ve made so far has been delicious!

If you’re a runner, what’s your favorite gear?  What piece of exercise equipment could you not live without?

This is post #8 of #write30days, a challenge to write everyday in June.  Over a quarter of the way there!

No.132: Read With Me // How To Raise a Wild Child (Part 1)

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I’m playing catch up.  With back to back (to back…) pregnancies and backyards that were difficult/too small to enjoy, my kids have largely been “indoor kids.”  In some ways, I’m an “indoor kid” too!  I have to “learn” how to enjoy the outdoors: educating myself on dangerous plants, noticing trees and flowers, and learning what “to do” when you spend time outside. 

To help me out, I assigned myself a bit of summer reading: How To Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature.  It’s written by the host of Dinosaur Train, Scott the Paleontologist, and it seems like the perfect book to usher me into a better relationship with nature.  I thought it would be fun to jot down some notes and thoughts as I read through it this month and share them here.  Maybe it will inspire you in a new way too!

The book is divided into four sections.  Part One contains Chapters 1 and 2 and is called “Nature, Lost and Found.”

Chapter 1: Wilding the Mind

Compared to kids confined indoors, children who regularly play in nature show heightened motor control – including balance, coordination, and agility.  They tend to engage more in imaginative and creative play, which in turn fosters language, abstract reasoning, and problem-solving skills, together with a sense of wonder.  Nature play is superior at engendering a sense of self and a sense of place, allowing children to recognize both their independence and interdependence.  Play in outdoor settings also exceeds indoor alternatives in fostering cognitive, emotional, and moral development.  And individuals who spend abundant time playing outdoors as children are more likely to grow up with a strong attachment to place and an environmental ethic. (p.37)

 Notes and takeaways from this chapter:

  • Nature is so good for us!  It’s encouraging to learn the science behind what I already imagined to be true – in short, nature is incredibly beneficial to both body and soul.
  • I have the Handbook of Nature Study collecting dust in our school room.  It’s time to take it off the shelf and check it out!  From what I little I know about it, I think it will give me some structure as I guide my children.
  • Like anything in life, being outside takes time to become a habit.  Working on our 1000 Hours Outside Challenge will help this.
  • A good way to change things up might be to go somewhere new on weekends with Mark.  Maybe there’s a local nature center nearby?
  • Try doing schoolwork outside.  I’m hesitant about this because I feel like they would be distracted, but I won’t know for sure until I try.
  • Camping or hiking should go on the schedule as the kids get older.  Having the boys in Trail Life will help this area too.

Chapter 2: The Power of Place 

…a growing mountain of evidence suggests that the best place to fall in love with nature is where you happen to be. (p.57)

For now, I invite you to think about beauty, truth, and goodness as threads in a blanket, one that each of us creates and wears throughout our lives.  You cannot weave this blanket for another, not even your own offspring.  Instead, your role is to ensure that the child possesses the needed inspiration, skills, and raw materials (experience, heart, and understanding) necessary to make her own unique, vibrant cloth with a balance of all three threads. (p.64)

Notes and takeaways from this chapter:
  • “topophilia” – a love of place
  • Food for thought: “Childhood brains are literally shaped by experience, so we’d better be thoughtful about the kinds of experience we expose our children to.” (p.56)
  • There has been unintentional value in my interest in bird watching!  “If you don’t pay any attention to the natural world, it’s doubtful that your children will.” 
  • A book to check out: What the Robin Knows by Jon Young

No.131: Around Here in June

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Linking up with Anne’s “Currently” linkup!


RECOVERING // from a sudden upper respiratory infection.  I had a hacking cough, a low-grade fever (my first in over a decade!), sweats, chills, you name it.  So weird.  Thankfully, the worst was over in a couple of days.


FIELDING // lots of begging for screen time.  Even with homeschooling, the transition from school to summer is hard!  I’ve been suuuper lenient with screens the past two weeks but am slowly tightening up the reins.  Days and days of rain and thunderstorms certainly hasn’t helped things either.

WEARING // a mix of running clothes and shorts and tees, with a maxi dress thrown in every once in awhile.  It’s been so sticky and humid!

ORDERING // a new planner, one of my favorite tasks of the summer! (#nerd)  Every year, I hem and haw about all of the great choices, but always end up going with my inexpensive go-to.  This year, I decided to go smaller than I usually do – the 8.5″x11″ was starting to feel unwieldy.

COLLECTING // houseplants.  I bought a “Hens and Chicks” succulent for Mother’s Day as well as another one I haven’t identified yet but love.  Next on my list is a snake plant, also known as “Mother-In-Law’s Tongue” – such a weird name!

READING // A Piece of the World and How to Raise a Wild Child.  I also am so close to finishing The Long Loneliness.


BAKING // my first loaf of sourdough bread!  Keeping a starter alive and healthy is intimidating and the process is a little intense, but oh my gosh.  The finished product is so good.  I need a lot of practice, but I can’t wait to keep trying this summer.

EATING // 90% sugar-free again.  Why is this so hard?!  I’ve been really craving ice cream cones and popsicles. 

PRACTICING // some tips from Siblings Without Rivalry and not doing very well, hah!  While the kids look at me crazily when I try my “script”, we all end up laughing and the tension is diffused, so…still a win, I think?


RUNNING // three or four times a week and finally making some progress!  It feels good to be at the point where every mile isn’t torture.  I’ve got my sights on another 10k this fall.

PLANNING // projects I want to accomplish before school begins again.  If the rain will ever end (?!), I’d like to paint my front door and shutters and plant a few things in our new front flower beds.  Also on the list is finally restaining the porches, hanging the lights on the back deck, organizing the school room and getting rid of unused things in the basement.  Can’t wait to get started!

No.130: The Coffee Project, Six Months In

The past six months, I’ve been quietly working on a little photography project (it’s one of my goals for 2018).  At first glance, it totally looks like one of those cliche, “Take a picture of your coffee” projects that get tons of eye-rolls.  But to me, it’s actually a lot more.  My morning cup (or sometimes afternoon) is my physical reminder to stop and notice: books I’m reading, school mornings, the weather, new purchases that I can’t stop admiring, time with little ones, etc.  All together, the photos tell a pretty cool story of 2018 so far.  I’m excited to see it to the end.    

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