The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{link list} 7.18.12 Edition

1. I loved and appreciated the brutal honesty of Jenny’s Project Health post from last week.  As I quickly approach the heaviest weight I’ve ever been (albeit while pregnant, but still a little scary!), I want to make less excuses and more plans for my health once this little one is born.  I’m sure I’ll share more here on the blog when that time comes…I’ll need the accountability!  

2. I love this colorful map of the United States and it’s a free printable to boot!  I think it would look darling blown up in a kids’ room or possibly a playroom?  Keeping this idea stored away for our new house!

3. This recipe for homemade teething biscuits is such a great way to use up all of the baby cereal that we never seem to finish when my babies start solid foods!  I think they would make a darling 1st birthday favor too (for a bunch of little attendees)…wouldn’t they be so sweet cut in a themed cookie cutter and packaged in something like these bags?     

4. An amazing story: Pregnant Woman Nurses Abandoned Infant to Save Her Life.

5. Need a good idea to encourage your children to help around the house?  Taping a square to the floor will definitely be a challenge to get my boys to sweep!  Chores = fun!

6. Did you see this boys’ room over on Young House Love?  So many good ideas there…it makes me so excited to be able to design a brand new room for my kids!

7. A new take on an old classic: Ham and Cheese Crepes.

8. I almost laughed out loud as I read this post from the Nester.  Every time I wash our master bedroom sheets, I notice the bare box spring and think: “Man! I need to do something about that!” …to which I promptly forget about it!  Nester’s solution to purchase a simple sheet set (use the fitted sheet for the box spring and the flat for pillows, etc) is GENIUS.  

9. (A BONUS this week!) Inspired by Grace’s closet clean-out, I decided to take a good look at my own wardrobe and weed out a few unworn things.  My selling site of choice is usually ebay, but this time I’m trying out a new one called Threadflip.  Anyone have any experience with it or positive/negative reviews?  You can find my “closet” here.      

{read along} Mitten Strings for God: Grace



“Among the social institutions that may not survive into the twenty-first century, the family meal must certainly be near the top of the list.  Our schedules pull us away from the table and each other, and fast foods invite us to eat on the run, stopping just long enough to fuel up between one activity and the next.  And, as any mother who has raced home to cook dinner for her family knows all too well, we often put out far more than we get back.  Is it worth all the effort it requires to shop, make a meal, and get it on the table, only to be met by children’s upturned noses, adolescents’ complaints, and somebody shouting that they don’t have time to eat as they head out the door?  Is this ritual really worth preserving after all?” –page 123

Tell me I’m not the only one who’s felt that way!  This actually just happened to me recently.  After battling my children over breakfast and lunch, I picked a dinner I knew  would surely be a winner.  I mean, they’d devoured it before, so it had to work, right?  Um, wrong.  Two upturned noses and even my little guy only ate a few bites.  At that moment, I thought: “Is this really worth all the effort?”  In my heart, I know it is, so I continue to plow on through, even on the rough nights.  

“…our sons and daughters learn the hearth’s powerful lessons right here, in their own homes, at their own tables.  When we honor our human need for nourishment, both physical and spiritual, we teach our children respect for their bodies and for themselves.  When we practice mindfulness ourselves, our children become more mindful.” –page 134-135

Need some encouragement or inspiration for family dinner?  Check out these links:

{home} Getting Ready to Sell: Picking Paint Colors

So today’s post is about updating rooms with paint.  I seem to come across this tip all the time!  Paint freshens things up, makes spaces feel current and clean, and is a relatively cheap upgrade.  In our home, we are focusing on three areas: the master bathroom, the kitchen, and the trimwork…all are in need of a little “refreshment”.

I’m sticking to mostly neutrals, and can I just say that picking a white is HARD!  So many undertones!  I’ve been staring at these sample charts all week and I think I’ve made my decision, but no promises until I get to the paint counter 🙂  

Do you have a favorite neutral color for the kitchen or bathroom?  Have a go-to white for trim?  Please share in the comments…you just may make my life a whole lot easier!  Have a good weekend, friends!    

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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