The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{link list} 6.20.12 Edition

I love link lists.
There’s nothing better than word of mouth, so when a blogger recommends a
recipe, a new shop or a great read, I am all about it! Here are a few things
I’ve come across this week…

1. Have you seen these YouTube videos from Everyday Food?  Sarah Carey is adorable and I love all of the dinner ideas…I’m thinking my husband would love to come home to a Southwest Steak Salad!  I just signed up for the daily video recipe too. 

2. DIY to do for my Little Miss, in all my spare time (hah!): Quilted Patchwork Bibs…so cute!

3. Do you read Laura’s blog at Show Me a Day?  I just recently found her and have been catching up through the archives.  This post was so good and applicable to a lot of the blogworld.  Definitely a must read.

4. Another new-to-me blog: Amy at Maker Mama!  Her post, Five Things You Should Always Buy at the Thrift Store, is really intriguing.  I rarely get to the thrift store these days, but I didn’t realize how much I was missing!

5. So I’m more than halfway through my pregnancy and I decided I probably should focus a little more on health and fitness and a little less on chocolate.  I’ve been working out using the Complete Pregnancy Fitness with Erin O’Brien DVD and for me, it’s great.  Everybody has an opinion about workout DVDs, but I like that this one uses “equipment” in the living room (aka the sofa, coffee table and a chair) and she’s not too annoying.  Frankly, I’ll do anything to make delivery better and postpartum weight-loss faster!

6. Found this recipe for Cream Cheese Pancakes on Pinterest…has anyone tried this?  I’m thinking it may be a good alternative to the low-carb breakfast staple of…eggs.  This girl needs a little variety in her life! 

7. Etsy find of the week: Chirp & Bloom!   This onesie and the matching bloomers are on my wishlist, for sure!  And the coin purses would make great gifts too. 

8. For anyone who dabbles in quilting: check out a great way to practice your skills and help a wonderful organization here.

{read along} Mitten Strings for God: Nature


“We parents…have an important role to play.  We can take our children with us and head out the door.  We can go along as they clamber over rocks, splash through streams, dig in the dirt.  We can hunt for hermit crabs, follow caterpillars, count stars.  We can take them out of doors and turn them loose, and allow them to find sanctuary in their own special places.  We can muse and wonder with them, gather stones and shells and seed pods, celebrate the seasons, and embrace all kinds of weather.
And here is the wonderful secret: Our children offer us an opportunity to rediscover the marvels of nature for ourselves.  You don’t need any special knowledge, any equipment, or even much of a plan.  You don’t need to identify a single bird or flower or constellation.  All you need is a willingness to go, to look, and to drink in the mystery and beauty of the world before your eyes.”  -page 114-115

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not exactly an outdoorsy girl.  But I want to be, both for myself and for my kids.  Since I’m pretty clueless in the nature exploration department, I searched the web and found a few books and blogs to help me get started.  I figure the boys can help teach me the rest 🙂


Blogs:

Books:

{recording life} My Life List

I feel like I’ve been talking about my life list for months now, even sharing my brainstorming process here, here and here.  Today I thought I would share a portion…maybe it will inspire you?  I’d love to hear what things you have on your life list too!   
1. See all 50 states
2. Go on an Alaskan cruise
3. Ride the Amtrak
4. Visit every NFL stadium and see a game
5. Run a race (5K, 10K, and anything with my Dad)
6. Go paint-balling
7. Go camping as a family
8. Learn how to make my own cleaning supplies
9. Complete a total gut renovation project (bathroom or kitchen?)
10. Plant a garden and keep it alive all season!
11. Attend a Saturday Night Live show
12. Attend the opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics
13. See Cirque du Soleil
14. Make homemade ice cream
15. Make every recipe from a single cookbook, like Julie & Julia
16. Support 100 Mammas in their Small Businesses
17. Donate my hair to Locks for Love
18. Learn how to shoot in manual
19. Have our family pictures done by a professional photographer
20. Write down all of the kids’ birth stories
21. Make a piece of clothing using a pattern
22. Learn how to knit
23. Build a treehouse in the backyard
24. Buy stock
25. Donate blood
26. Buy a dress for over $100 and not feel guilty about it
27. Read every book on my “College Bound Booklist”
28. See a show on Broadway
29. Read the Bible in one year
30. Run a successful home decor business
31. Open a brick-and-mortar retail location in New England
32. Take the kids boating and tubing
33. Make tie-dye shirts
34. Learn floral arranging
35. Coach or help assist a middle school softball team
36. Take cooking classes with my husband
37. Start a scholarship
38. Learn how to flyfish with Dad
39. Take my boys (and husband!) to Fenway Park
40. Organize a getaway trip with my cousins
41. Learn how to make candles
42. Go horseback riding
43. Purchase an old home and completely renovate it
44. Visit Mount Rushmore
45. Learn how to can food
46. Make pasta from scratch
47. Give in 100 different ways (at least!)
48. Drive down Route 66
49. Own a bulldog
50. Make every recipe I’ve pinned on my Pinterest board

{wishlist} Summertime Maternity Wear for the Budget-Conscious Mamma

It’s that time of year again!  This past weekend, I worked on getting everyone’s winter clothes packed away and our summer gear organized.  I tackled my closet last and as I brought all of my pregnancy clothes to the front, I realized…I have very little to wear!  After three previous pregnancies, most of my clothing has had it.  Stretched out, peeling and um…too small (where did the time go when I was 22-years-old and in a size 0/2??). 
After a quick second of feeling sorry for myself that I’m only halfway through my pregnancy and already feeling like a house, I pulled myself together and off to the web I went.  And as much as I wish I could drop money on clothing from HATCH or Loft Maternity or a great pair of designer jeans, my frugal self (not to mention my budget!) just won’t allow for it.  Here are a few budget-friendly options that caught my eye:   

1. Braided-Yoke Jersey Tank from Old Navy
3. Liz Lange for Target Sleeveless Knit Dress
5. Smocked Mexicali Skirt from Old Navy 

Any other affordable maternity clothes out there?  I know different stores are creating their own lines all the time, so if you have a favorite, please share!

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