The Big White Farmhouse | intentional living, little by little

December 29, 2023

No.790: What I Read in December 2023

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#87. MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “A bottle of wine.”

Anthony Horowitz’s writing comes highly recommended, so when I found a like new hardcover copy for $2(!) at the used bookstore, I couldn’t resist. This is a book-within-a-book mystery, a technique that I found both unique and frustrating, ha! All in all, I enjoyed it and will mostly likely continue with some of Horowitz’s back list. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

#88. LIGHT CHANGES EVERYTHING by Nancy E. Turner // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “I blame the beginning of the whole thing on Jane Austen.”

One of my absolute favorite books is Turner’s These Is My Words and this continues that world with a story narrated by Sarah Prine’s niece. It was good, but not nearly as good as the first book. There were a lot of plot lines to follow and some more believable than others. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

#89. AMONG THE SHADOWS by Bruce Robert Coffin // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “The bitter stench of urine and impending death permeated the small dingy bedroom.”

I picked this up solely based on the place – it’s a police procedural located in Portland, Maine – and I was so happy to discover that it was actually really good! A little gritty, but well written with a satisfying ending that I did not predict.

#90. THE MANY LIVES OF MAMA LOVE: A MEMOIR OF LYING, STEALING, WRITING AND HEALING by Lara Love Hardin // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop)

First line: “Reading was my first addiction.”

From the description: “New York Times bestselling author Lara Love Hardin recounts her slide from soccer mom to opioid addict to jailhouse shot-caller and her unlikely comeback as a highly successful ghostwriter in this harrowing, hilarious, no-holds-barred memoir.” Reviewing a memoir is always so tricky. The beginning chapters of this book were really interesting, but I wanted more. More back story, more introspection. Our poor choices are rarely made in a bubble and I was hoping to read about the steps made to reach the bottom and then how she got back up. There seemed to be little of the first. I did appreciate the peek into the criminal justice system – lots of things to ponder there. 3.5 stars. (And thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book! The Many Lives of Mama Love was released in August 2023!)

#91. COME, LORD JESUS: MEDITATIONS ON THE ART OF WAITING by Mother Mary Francis, PCC // ★★★★★
(amazon)

First line: “I am quite confident all of us have a deep sense of expectation, joy, and wonderment that Advent is about to begin.”

Advent reading for the fourth time! Still so, so good.

#92. FALLING by T.J. Newman // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “When the shoe dropped into her lap the foot was still in it.”

A fast, engaging read for my last book of the year. T.J. Newman explores the question: “If you were a pilot, would you rather crash the commercial plane you’re flying or have your kidnapped family be murdered?” Like most thrillers, you have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but I still found it enjoyable.

MY UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2023: 207
Books Finished in December: 6
Finished Books Donated/Sold in December: 0
Books Added: +5
Unread Books Remaining: 204

2023 READING IN REVIEW

Total books read: 92
Fiction: 45 // Non-Fiction: 22 // Religious: 8
Rereads or borrowed: 2
Homeschool readalouds: 5
Netgalley: 10
Total pages read: 27,358
Total books read from my TBR: 75
Total books purchased: 70

December 28, 2023

No.789: My One Little Word and a Few Goals for 2024

“Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same loving Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.” — St. Francis de Sales

On the fourth day of Christmas, we’re talking goals! I’ve never been more excited to say goodbye to one year and welcome in the next.

MY ONE LITTLE WORD FOR 2024

I can barely believe it, but this is my twelfth time choosing one little word for the new year. (Previous words include Intention, Brave, Thrive, Learn, Slow, Roots, Notice, Gratitude, Light, Simple and Endurance.) I love this practice and the way you can see the trajectory of my growth as a woman/wife/mother. Anyway, for 2024, I decided to go with abundant.

abundant | [adj] // [uh–buhn-duhnt]
present in great quantity; more than adequate; oversufficient; well supplied with something; abounding

When I initially started brainstorming this word, I saw a lot of affirmation-type thinking. My goal is not to manifest prosperity or wealth, but to change my attitude into one of gratitude. We live in one of the most prosperous countries in the world. We have never known homelessness or hunger. We have so much! Instead of focusing on hardships and financial challenges, I’m seeking a mindset change toward the good. Really excited to see how this will affect me in body, mind and spirit this year.

A FEW GOALS FOR 2024

+ “She is clothed with strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future.” (Proverbs 31:25)
+ Focus on frugality. // Let’s bring frugality back in style! It’s not something to be ashamed of! Using what we have wisely used to be considered a strength and I want to return to that thinking. We have big financial goals and this mentality will help us achieve them.
+ Ramp up production on the farm. // We’ve spent the past few years intensely focused on infrastructure and I think this will be the year when we start to cruise. We hope to increase our meat bird production and diversify our farm offerings. (Maybe even dabble in flowers!)
+ Read a lot of non-fiction. // So many books and not enough time! I want to create a “Mother Academia” program of study and work through the books. I’m sure there will be lots of random rabbit trails along the way too.
+ Create beautiful things. // My soul truly feels alive when I’m being creative. I want to remember that, even during the busy times.
+ Learn to play the piano. // My parents recently brought over my childhood piano and it’s already seen a lot of use. I haven’t played since elementary school, but I’m going back! Super excited about this one.
+ Go on a family vacation. // It’s been over seven years since we’ve gone on a summer vacation! The years have gone by quickly: we were “gazelle intense” on Dave Ramsey’s baby steps, COVID happened, and then we started the farm. This is my oldest son’s last year at home so we really want to make this happen.

December 22, 2023

No.788: A Poem for Christmastime

A Christmas Carol

by Gilbert K. Chesterton

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all right.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast,
His hair was like a star,
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world’s desire.)

The Christ-child stood at Mary’s knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.

Art is “Adoration of the shepherds” by Gerard van Honthorst

Wishing you a very blessed Christmas from our family to yours. xo

December 14, 2023

No.787: Better Me Diaries // Month 1 Recap

Welcome to a new series where I share all of my inadequacies and my attempts to fix them, ha! Just kidding. I’m a broken record at this point talking about my roller coaster year and the culmination of years of poor stress management. (I’m annoyed at the constant reminders myself.) Hopefully, this new challenge will set me on a better path.

I’ve spent the last five months reading and researching and dipping my toes into behaviors that may help me feel back at 100%. And for whatever reason, Monday, November 13, 2023 was the day I decided to finally get to work. My biggest goal is that I’m committing to six months of workouts. It doesn’t matter if I lose a pound; I’m really hoping to make long-term positive changes. The habit is the ultimate goal!

A little disclaimer: Before I started this new adventure, I watched a lot of Youtube videos and read a lot of blog posts, learning what worked for others. I immediately rejected about 75% of the advice and jotted down the rest to try myself. And that’s okay! We’re all wonderfully, uniquely made and what works for one may not work for another. The same goes for my notes below.

EXERCISE

Did you know that we start losing muscle mass after age 30? As I prepare for my big 40th birthday next fall, I want to avoid frailty as I age and weight training is the best way to accomplish that. So for Month One, I completed the four week Beginner Workout Plan from Nourish Move Love. Heavy on the strength with just a little cardio, but completely doable and accessible for beginners.

Other wins:

Lost 0 lbs, but I’m choosing to see this as a win that I didn’t gain anything new! I remembered to take my body fat percentage about halfway through, so will have to retest sometime next month.
Advanced from 5lb to 8lb dumbbells for all exercises
Sleep! Regardless of the time I went to bed, I would always wake up between 4-4:30. I’m finally sleeping in to around 5! This is huge.

A TED talk that I found interesting and has helped me to keep going, even when weight training feels hard: The Midlife Muscle Crisis: why we’ve gotten obesity all wrong by Gabrielle Lyon

NUTRITION

Since I started this challenge right at the beginning of the holiday season, I knew that I didn’t want to create unrealistic expectations by completely eliminating sugar. So a few sweet treats have been consumed, but my main focus has been making protein a key component to my daily diet. This seemed really stressful for me at the beginning, because how? My husband follows a carnivore diet, I have three teenage boys (and three littler ones with big appetites too) and protein sources are expensive! I’m making good hearty dinners and finding workarounds for the rest: peanut butter protein balls, plain unsweetened Greek yogurt, collagen in my coffee, etc. Not perfect, but a decent start.

Bummers:

My dairy and egg intolerance/allergies have returned! One step forward, two steps back. Both came on suddenly after my later pregnancies in 2012-2016 and I had finally seemed to kick them early in 2023. Not sure what’s going on (other than maybe hormonal changes?) but I keep pushing forward.

OTHER NEW THINGS

After a recommendation from a crunchy friend, I started trying a liver castor oil pack from Queen of Thrones. I’m using it as a way to combat inflammation and support my hormones. Is it snake oil and all in my head? I guess time will tell. This Youtube video provided a DIY option and I found her results interesting as well.