The Big White Farmhouse | intentional living, little by little

May 31, 2018

No.125: What I Learned in May

Linking up with Kelly!

1 // GOOD HABITS BEGET MORE GOOD HABITS.

Running makes me want to eat better – I can tell a huge difference in my endurance when I eat well vs. when I eat crap. And now eating better is leading me to give up sugar again (!!) which is huge for a stress-eating, sugarholic like me. In full disclosure, I will also admit that the opposite of this lesson is totally true for me too. Skipping workouts leads to sad justifications about why I’m throwing back handfuls of chocolate chips at 10am. I’m a work in progress.

2 // IT’S BETTER FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH IF I PUT THE SCALE AWAY.
This was hard for me but liberating too. I am data-driven and like to see my progress (give me all the charts and graphs!) but the mental frustration and fatigue it created was too much. Mark and I are going to do “check-ins” once a month, but otherwise, that scale is staying in the closet!

3 // THERE IS SO MUCH SUGAR IN BAKED BEANS!
I picked up a can of Grillin’ Beans for dinner and they were so delicious. I was declaring my love for them when Mark glanced at the nutrition facts and said, “Well yeah, they’re delicious! There’s over 20 grams of sugar in it!” Guess those beans won’t be going back into my cart anytime soon. Yikes.

4 // CARPENTER BEES ARE TROUBLE.
Carpenter bees are huge and seem to be hanging around our porches this spring. Mike, our Orkin man, said that they can make nests in the wood and eventually cause a lot of damage. He found one hole and treated it, but we have to be really vigilant. There’s always something when you’re a homeowner!

5 // WEANING IS HARD.
So we’ve made a little progress: we’ve deleted most of the daytime “I’m just bored so how ’bout I nurse?” feedings and just have bedtime and naptime to go. I’ve been using the Ergo a lot for naptime, so he can still be close to me. Mark helps with bedtime but we haven’t been consistent. I’m hoping June is the month where we can make the final break.

6 // HOMESCHOOLING IS ALSO HARD, BUT IT’S BEEN A GREAT FIT FOR OUR FAMILY THIS YEAR.
For the first time in many years, my kids ended a school year without me questioning everything. We really found a sweet spot and we’re all excited to continue on. Schooling is always a discernment process and I’m really thankful to have found what works for us right now.

7 // I DON’T MISS MY HOME DECOR SHOP AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT I WOULD.
I recently listened to a podcast episode about “living more with less” and the guest’s story was similar to my own: she had a thriving small business that she loved, but stepped away for something better. It’s been about seven months since we closed Big White Farmhouse’s virtual doors. While I loved working with my cousin and supporting American artisans, there are so many things I definitely don’t miss: the unconscious stress of constantly changing social media, unrelenting marketing (an area I’m very weak in) and being unable to execute a business in a way I thought I should. To everything there is a season and while I’m so thankful I dove into retail, I’m also excited to see what’s next.

May 30, 2018

No.124: My Latest Reads // May

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Linking up with Kristin’s Book by Book!

ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY by Mildred D. Taylor
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Mama’s grip did not lessen. “It is something, Cassie. White is something just like black is something. Everybody born on this earth is something and nobody, no matter what color, is better than anybody else.” (p.127)

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was assigned reading for my fifth grader’s history curriculum. While I thought I had read it as a kid, as he was narrating to me, I quickly realized that I remembered close to nothing! This book was heart-breaking for me in the way that some of the same issues still manifest today. And then to have to talk about it with my kid? Important, but so sad.

THE TWELVE LIVES OF SAMUEL HAWLEY by Hannah Tinti
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Love isn’t about keeping promises. It’s about knowing someone better than anyone else. I’m the only one who knows him. I’m the only one who ever will.

This book was a library pick (library, I just can’t quit you!!) that I knew nothing about and primarily chose for the cover. It is the story of a single father with a mysterious background, his 12 bullet wounds (each with their own story), and a dangerous past coming back to haunt him. It had an overall melancholy tone, but I liked it.

MAKE YOUR BED: LITTLE THINGS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE…AND MAYBE THE WORLD by Admiral William H. McRaven (Ret.)
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Remember…start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up – if you do these things, then you can change your life for the better…and maybe the world! (p.104)

My dad gave me this little book for Christmas and it got lost in my overwhelming stack of nightstand books. So glad I found it this month! A quick read with solid advice. My oldest read it after me and enjoyed it too.

THE NO.1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY by Alexander McCall Smith
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

I am not ashamed to be called an African patriot, said Mma Ramotswe. I love all the people whom God made, but I especially know how to love the people who live in this place. They are my people, my brothers and sisters. It is my duty to help them to solve the mysteries in their lives. That is what I am called to do.

We read The Great Cake Mystery, one of Smith’s books for children, for school and enjoyed it so much that I had to pick up the first book in this series for adults. I liked it! Such a neat way to learn about Botswana too.

THE ART DETECTIVE: FAKES, FRAUDS, AND FINDS AND THE SEARCH FOR LOST TREASURES by Philip Mould
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

If I am honest, what first got me interested in art (and I had first done it with silver teaspoons and shoe buckles as a child) was the thrill of seizing on things others might have missed or undervalued. As a result I got to love the paintings I later moved on to. I and my colleagues may occupy a world of the ultimate luxury goods, of cosmopolitan refinement and intellectual acumen, but beneath the varnished surface the competitive animal lurks. (p.216)

I picked up The Art Detective at the thrift store for $1. Some stories were more interesting than others and it’s definitely a book for a specific niche, but I learned a lot about art dealing and how paintings are restored.

THE LAST GIRL: MY STORY OF CAPTIVITY, AND MY FIGHT AGAINST THE ISLAMIC STATE by Nadia Murad
My Rating: ★★★★☆

I still think that being forced to leave your home out of fear is one of the worst injustices a human being can face. Everything you love is stolen, and you risk your life to live in a place that means nothing to you and where, because you come from a country now known for war and terrorism, you are not really wanted. (19%)

I don’t even know where to begin with this one. I read it in two days and was so heartbroken by her story. I know this book will stay with me for awhile. A powerful read.

I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK: ONE WOMAN’S OBSESSIVE SEARCH FOR THE GOLDEN STATE KILLER by Michelle McNamara

My Rating: ★★★★☆

This is how it ends for you.“You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark,” you threatened a victim once.Open the door. Show us your face.Walk into the light.

My fellow true-crime loving brother recommended this book to me and holy cow. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is probably the scariest book I’ve ever read! I couldn’t read it past 3 in the afternoon or I would have terrifying, heart-thumping dreams all night long. Thank goodness for DNA – they recently caught this guy!

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MY 2018 READING IN NUMBERS

Books Read: 33

Fiction: 20 // Non-Fiction: 13
Kindle Books: 18 // Paper Books: 15
Original 2018 books “to-read” total on Goodreads: 443 // Current “to-read” total: 436

May 28, 2018

No.123: Five May Favorites (A Link-Up & A Giveaway!)

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Welcome to the Five Favorites linkup! Congratulations to Mary, with April’s winning post: five favorites / amazon music. Be sure to check below for this month’s prize pack!

1 // ALL THE PASTA SALADS
What is summer without pasta salad? They are perfect for my big crew because I can make a lot inexpensively and you can add a ton of vegetables too. My favorite is the classic Italian version, but we recently tried one with tortellini which was good too. Next on the list: this Greek-inspired one!

2 // P’S SWING
P got this swing for Christmas and it has gotten a ton of use this spring. Not only can he swing like the big kids, it also keeps him contained and out of trouble for 10 minutes. One of the only ways I can read outside right now, hah!

3 // THE 2017 CROSSFIT DOCUMENTARY, THE REDEEMED AND THE DOMINANT

This one is silly because I don’t even do Crossfit, but these yearly documentaries are so inspiring to me and this year is no exception. Mark and I like to watch these when we’re wavering a bit health-wise and need a boost.

4 // PRE-CUT PARCHMENT PAPER
I recently splurged and bought a pack of pre-cut parchment paper for bread making and they are so great! With the roll version, I always cut pieces that were too small or way too big (eye-balling measurements is obviously not my strong suit) so the pre-cut version helps avoid my inevitable waste. Definitely not a baking “need”, but so nice to have.

5 // TWEEZER GURU
I was organizing my bathroom cabinet and came across a pair of tweezers I must have purchased and totally forgotten about when we moved last year. I really like them! The edges are slanted and sharp. The handle is a little bulkier than I’m used to, but still manageable.

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A Peek into May’s Prize Pack

The giveaway items I’ve chosen are a mix of some of my favorite things: etsy finds, vintage pieces and little bits picked up from various stores. All have been purchased by me and nothing has been sponsored. This incentive is to thank you for visiting here and linking up your posts. It’s my small way of showing you that your words are being heard! I read every single entry and try to comment on or share a few (I wish I could do this for every one – not enough hours in the day!) Here’s how it works: every time you link up a blog or Instagram post, you get an entry. The official closing date will be Sunday, June 3rd and I’ll randomly pick a winner on June 4.

May’s prizes include:

1 // Our Lady of the Ordinary greeting card from A Creative Almanac

2 // Garden Candle

3 // Heart Pot from Freckled Hen Farmhouse

4 // Garden letterpress notebook

5 // Two packs of seed bombs from Department of Everyday

I can’t wait to hear about what you’re loving this month! Here’s what to do:

1. Write a blog post sharing about five of your favorite things. You could also share a photo on Instagram too! (hashtag is #bwffivefavorites) It can have a theme (ie: five of your favorite slow cooker recipes) or just a mishmash like I usually do.

2. Please link back to this post so your readers know where to find the Five Favorites hub (posts not mentioning “Five Favorites” or not linking back to this post will be subject to removal).

3. Not mandatory, but feel free to visit some of the other posts in the link-up! Sharing and/or leaving a comment is even better.

4. Make sure to add a link to your specific post or Instagram picture, not just your blog address.

Thanks for linking up!

An InLinkz Link-up

May 25, 2018

No.122: And We’re Done! Reflections On Our First School Year at the Farmhouse

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School’s out for summer! A few thoughts and memories I want to remember:

I wasn’t 100% sure I was ready to homeschool again. I don’t necessarily identify myself as a “homeschool mom”- I’m just a mother who happens to homeschool. (I’m sure that doesn’t make any sense to anyone other than me.) But with the bullying and the learning difficulties in public school, I knew it was the best option for our family and I jumped in head-first, hopeful. Only by God’s grace can I say that it was a life-changing year. A difficult year for sure, but a good one. Self esteem was gained and big strides were made in my dyslexic learners. Last fall, Mark and I considered this to be a “rebuilding year,” building our children back up emotionally and helping them overcome the obstacles they needed extra help with in school. As always, we were open to the idea of returning them to public school in the fall, but they all enthusiastically want to continue at home.

Duds and failures:

1. Poetry teatime // I had the best intentions and this never worked out quite how I envisioned it. We ended up ditching the poetry and just ate homemade treats once a week. Maybe we’ll try again next year?

2. Fulton Sheen // I loved learning about Fulton Sheen with my fifth grader but we quickly lost steam when it came to the crafty/cut-and-paste part of the curriculum. It wasn’t a great fit for my quickly maturing boy.

3. States and capitals // We started learning these at the very beginning of the year and then I dropped it for no apparent reason. Oops.

Successes:

1. Charlotte Mason // While we definitely aren’t purists, this method is really complementary to the way my kids and I learn. Curiosity and good books certainly are my love language!

2. History // Across the board, the kids said history was their favorite subject. I’m excited to continue with more rich, living books that make history come alive.

3. Morning basket // The morning routine of reading aloud was the glue that helped me adequately teach four different students. On a loop, we read our fiction selections, history, science, African studies, and poetry together before separating for individual reading and math. So thankful that we were able to experience those books all at the same time.

To celebrate the last day of school, everyone got a book to jumpstart summer reading:

M (age 11) // Invasion (The C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy)

D (age 9) // Shards of Alderaan (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 7)

J (age 7) // Marvel Super Hero Adventures Sand Trap!: An Early Chapter Book

S (age 5) // The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate

TJ (age 3) // Melissa & Doug Dinosaurs Jigsaw Puzzles

Tradition is also to get everyone a treat, so we celebrated with vanilla milkshakes from Chickfila!

It was a good, good school year. I’m looking forward to a summer of (relative) relaxation and rejuvenation before jumping back in again.