The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{100 little things} August Review: Organized Bookcases, A Movie in Theaters & Strawberry Pie


Month One is always exciting.  The challenge is fresh and new and I’m dying to get started!  We hit a bit of hiccup when the viral infection hit, but all in all, I think I had a solid start.  Current totals: 3 completed and 7 partial finishes.

#8: Rearrange books in the bookcases by theme/genre.
My bookcases have frustrated me for months now.  They had become a hodgepodge of random groupings and I was frequently asking Mark if he could help me locate a specific title because I couldn’t find anything!  Of course it took adding this task to my 100 Little Things list to finally get it done!  The whole process took about 30 minutes and now I have two bookcases with roughly organized themes: spiritual, nonfiction, parenting, fiction, classics, and business.  Game changer!    

#43. Make popsicles.
This turned out to be a last minute, end of summer activity.  Nothing new or exciting – we just blended our usual smoothie recipe and poured it into molds.  Sometimes I get too ahead of myself, thinking that I need to come up with something newer and better, but that’s really not true.  We made a fun memory and that’s good enough.

#99.  Take the kids to see a movie in theaters.
Mark took the big four on a special end of summer adventure to see Pets and then out to lunch.  They LOVED every minute.  I obnoxiously texted him asking him for pictures and this was the one I got. (He said all the ones in the theater turned out blurry.)

#1: Read 35 books. (1/35 completed)
After finishing The Cuckoo’s Calling at the beginning of the month, I really haven’t picked up another since!  I need to find my groove again. 

#19.  Pray 5 novenas. (1/5 completed)
I prayed my novena to St. Thomas Aquinas nine days before my boys started school, asking for his intercession as they began a new adventure.  It really calmed my anxious heart as I focused my prayers on each boy, their teachers and the other students they’ll encounter this year.


#42: Make 10 different pies. (1/10 completed)
For the first time ever, I made a homemade pie from start to finish, no cheating with store-bought crust!  Sophia and I made a Strawberry Pie together and it was delicious!  I even managed to hide a piece for my breakfast the next day.

 #52: Watch 15 documentaries.  (2/15 completed)
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead 2: This is the update from the 2010 movie.  The basis is the importance of a plant-based diet, specifically juicing.  I appreciated the fact that they didn’t villainize a specific food group, but advocated for more of the good stuff, less of the bad.  That’s our motto around here and it was refreshing to see it on a bigger platform.
Touch the Wall: The background story of Missy Franklin and her friendship with veteran swimmer Kara Lynn Joyce.  I have minimal knowledge of swimming, so thought this one was so interesting!

#68: Grow Big White Farmhouse’s Instagram followers to 400+. 

I’ve been really working on increasing my reach for BWF’s Instagram account because I think it gives some credibilty to a business and we could always use that!  It’s been interesting to watch the numbers – definitely two steps forward, one step back.  I have found a lot of “followers” do so in order for me to recipricate, and when I don’t, I’m quickly deleted.  Such is social media life, right?  This month, I went from 191 to 254 followers, interacted with a lot of lovely women, and even found a few new artisans to carry in the shop!    

#93: Try 5 new local restaurants. (1/5 completed)
Mark and I had an at-home date night with take out from a local grille we’ve been meaning to try for months.  The burgers did not disappoint and Mark loved the wings.  Two big thumbs up!  

 #97.  Buy 2 new board games to play as a family. (1/2 completed)
I bought Zingo intended for J, but it’s quickly become a favorite for the entire family.  Quick rounds and a healthy dose of friendly competition!

{saving our pennies} Saving Time & Money with Jet.com (& Why You Should Try It Too!)

This post contains affiliate links.


As a faithful customer for over a year, I was so excited to be asked to be a part of Jet‘s new Ambassador Program!  I’ve sung their praises here on the blog before and my experience has only gotten better as they’ve grown.  Honestly, their customer service cannot be beat!  


Let me share two recent encounters with Customer Service: 
= I tried out their new Fresh Food program and ordered three Green Machine juices.  The box arrived a day later than it was supposed to, but I (naively) didn’t bat an eye.  The Jet team called me and emailed, letting me know that the time frame of delivery did not match their standard of freshness, and I should throw the juice away immediately.  For the inconvenience, they refunded my money AND gave me a store credit.
= I ordered two Capri Sun juice boxes for the kids’ lunches, but found shampoo and conditioner in the box instead.  A honest mistake at the warehouse, so I emailed them to let them know and see if I could get a refund or a resend of my order.  They apologized for the mistake, said I could keep the wrong products AND resent my order with a bonus box of juices for the inconvience.  


The way a company treats its customers is huge to me and I’ve been so happy with Jet.  In case you’ve never heard of them (and nope, they don’t have anything to do with airfare or planes!), here’s how it works:


1. Savings add up as you add items.  
Jet is an easy way to save on all your go-to products at once. I tend to do my shopping two-weeks at a time and try to lump as much as I can into one order to max on the savings.  Jet is also a lifesaver if you’re trying to buy in bulk while sticking to a budget!  
Tip: Look out for items marked with the 2-day delivery flag: When you add those items to your cart, you’ll save more on the items you’ve already added. So, for example, when you have Tide in your cart and you add Bounty, you save on the Tide.  And when you add Cheerios after that, you save on the Bounty and even more on the Tide!  (This may or may not be my favorite part of their website, hah!)


2. Stack even more savings on top.
If you know you’re not going to be returning something, there is a box you can check to waive returns, which saves you even more.  I tend to do this with products I’ve used in the past and know we like, like paper towels and toilet paper.  You can also choose to pay with your debit card vs. credit to save an extra 1.5%. 


3. Shipping is free over $35 and delivery is fast.
The free shipping minimum is just $35, which is super easy to reach when you’re doing most of your nonperishable shopping through Jet.  Most of the items I order arrive at my door within two or three days, so with just a bit of prior planning, you can get what you need in no time at all.  (A lifesaver for those of us who may not be on top of our meal planning…ahem)

The photo above shows my latest order: A random assortment of household paper products and carb-filled goodness.  I ordered on Wednesday afternoon and the box was at my door by Friday morning!

Here are a few more tips I’ve learned along the way before I wrap up this novel of a post:

+ Similar to Amazon, the prices on Jet do fluctuate, so while I may have purchased something last month at a great price, I’ll pass on it if it’s too high this time around.  It’s really helpful if you have a basic knowledge of what things cost at your local grocery store. 
+ I also find it helpful to not be brand-loyal.  With the exception of our toilet paper (we have very specific requests from the men around here!), I will typically search for the general product (like pasta, cereal, protein bars, etc.) and then sort lowest to highest.  It’s an easy way to try new things and save more in the process. 
+ If you’re a diehard couponer, you probably won’t be blown away at the “deals” listed on Jet.  However, if you are busy, live in an area where the food costs are high, or generally just hate the grocery store, Jet is the one stop shop for you.  Jet sells a lot more than just groceries and I love that I have the ability to add a birthday present to my cart at the same time I’m picking out my pasta and cereal.

Have I convinced you yet?  New shoppers at Jet can now use the code TRIPLE15 to get 15% off their first 3 orders! Three!!  The deal is valid through Thursday, September 1, 2016. I hope you’ll try it out and let me know what you think!

{around here} Week 34/52: Week of 8.22.16

 

A collection of our ordinary days, recorded every week.


Around here, I have been:



soaking up the last week of summer vacation.  Bittersweet.


reaching 25 weeks with Baby #6.  I had an appointment on Monday and again had slightly higher than normal blood pressure.  My doctor didn’t seem too concerned yet, but recommended buying a monitor and frequently checking.  I’m praying that it’s only gestational hypertension and not something more serious.  For now, I’m going to watch my salt intake, try to lower my stress and slow way down. 

laughing at Sophia’s one-liners.  I’m big on manners and am frequently on my kids with their please and thank-yous.  Sophia has been asking for things very politely and then adding, “Don’t you love my manners, mama?”  Another funny: Mark recently made Rice Krispie Treats and the poor girl could not get the name right!  She kept saying, “Rice Christmas Treats…uhh, you know what I’m talkin’ about!”


hitting the jackpot on deals for my to-do list.  This time of year, with a new season of clothes, birthdays and school to buy for, it feels like money is just blowing out of our pockets!  Any way I can stretch our pennies is welcome.  A few of my finds:
+ I wanted a new nursing cover and was interested in one similar to Shelly’s. (I think hers was from Covered Goods?)  I found a similar one on Kidizen, like new, for $10!
+ I’ve had a postpartum nursing-friendly top in my Amazon cart for months but couldn’t bring myself to pay the $40 yet.  Found the exact same shirt, in my size, on Kidizen for $15 less!


taking out a few fall decorations.  The temperatures have fallen into the 80’s, which has been awesome.  We definitely won’t feel a chill until closer to October, but the coming school year has me ready to switch things around anyway.


diffusing a blend of Lime, Lemon and Geranium, which smells like Skittles.  Such a weirdly pleasant scent…or maybe I’m just pregnant.  I got the Geranium in this month’s Young Living order along with a Thieves Foaming Hand Soap.  


loving our new bed!  After four years on an Ikea mattress (not our best financial decision) and feeling like we were 80 with back pain every morning, we bit the bullet and purchased one from Tuft & Needle.  The price is right, the customer service is amazing (Mark has been raving to everyone who will listen about how impressed he’s been with them!) and we have had awesome sleep ever since.  Highly recommend.


listening to Sophia talk about her upcoming role in my brother’s wedding: “I’m going to be a princess and J will be a bear.”

having a more “normal” working week with Big White Farmhouse.
+ Our new wooden signs arrived and I’m so impressed!  We got a few mini options perfect for fall, but I especially love the bigger “Love Grows Best in Little Houses”.  
+ I put in a new order with a papergood artisan from Texas and should hopefully receive them in a couple of weeks.  I’m most excited about a notebook combo featuring a meal planner and DIY recipe book.  I may need to get them for myself!
+ I also ordered new candles from a new artisan after discovering that our current candlemaker went out of business.  To make room for the new, all remaining candles (Honeysuckle Jasmine, Vanilla Cream and Strudel & Spice) have been reduced to 30% off!
+ Still loving spending time on our Instagram account.  I’m finding so much inspiration there – from women who can decorate like a boss to amazing artisans I’ve never come across before to small brick-and-mortar stores that have me dreaming about the future!   


discovering a few boxes that were meant for Goodwill a year ago and forgotten in the garage – FULL of Playmobil.  You would have thought it was Christmas with the excited shrieks coming from the boys!  They have played with them everyday since, creating battles and setting up scenes.  Who woulda thought?!  

{around here} Week 33/52: Week of 8.15.16

 
 
 
 
 



A collection of our ordinary days, recorded every week.


Around here, I have been:

taking care of my family as a viral infection made its way through the house.  A sudden fever, headache, aches, chills and sore throat…how the heck do you get these symptoms when it’s over 100 degrees outside?!  I managed to nurse everyone back to the land of the living before catching a sore throat myself. (#mamalife) I’m also dealing with some pretty intense ligament pain, which is making it hard to do anything quickly.  I’m tired.


nesting, despite the pain and exhaustion, like a crazy person.  I’ve been decluttering, organizing and cleaning like the baby is due to arrive any day.  (I’m only 24 weeks.)  I even put the new bassinet together, all by myself, because I couldn’t stand walking by the box anymore!  At this point in family size, most women are extra laid back – I apparently turn insane, even earlier than normal.  Poor Mark and the kids.     


finishing up shopping for S and TJ, my September birthdays.  (A friendly reminder: don’t forget to support your favorite bloggers and use their links when shopping!  I know it’s always so appreciated.)  They both are at such fun ages, turning 2 and 4 (!!), and I’ve had so much fun picking out gifts for them.  

(not) reading.  I’m in a reading funk – I haven’t picked up a book all week.  I think I just have too much going on in my brain right now to settle into a book.


seeing new little birds around our backyard.  We think they’re barn swallows.  They are so cute and small, but are pooping all over my porch!


calling it a light “work week” for Big White Farmhouse.  Some weeks I can commit to a lot, others not so much.  I love that about small business.  A few notes to remember:
+ I finished listing most of the remaining Vintage Finds and restocked the wooden rattles.  We added a new bear design and I love it!  
+ Consistent social media marketing is starting to pay off!
+ Christmas is on the brain already as I started making lists about possible purchases.  So excited for what’s to come in the next few months!

watching Limitless and Jim Gaffigan on Netflix.  We also started Vikings on Amazon Prime, which I have mixed feelings about.  I appreciated Bishop Barron’s commentary, but I feel like he didn’t make enough of a disclaimer about the violence and nudity!


taking the big boys out, one at a time, to get their school supplies.  I am loving the one-on-one time with them, holding their hands and hearing them talk without any distractions.  I also love seeing what they choose: this year, black and red seem to be the favorite colors!  In other back-to-school news, I’ve been starting to get special treats to go in their lunches.  I bought a few of these organizers for the pantry and love them for the “these are special, you can’t eat them now” purpose. 


listening to M read to his little siblings complete with hilarious voices!  So thankful that he can read aloud for hours without getting hoarse like his poor mama.  

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