The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{recording life} Currently…

his CHEESE face!

time
: 7:15 am, bright and early!
place : in my kitchen
drinking : a glass of this Iced Coffee
watching : my sweet boys chow down on their breakfast.  No funny business when eating around here!   
 
reading : Four Spirits: A Novel , although if I’m being honest, not much has been accomplished lately.  Reading makes me fall asleep!
feeling : like baking something sweet today.  Should I go with the crowd-favorite chocolate chip cookie?  Or maybe these?
thinking :
about our sweet baby in utero and how blessed we are.  I’ve read a few heart-breaking miscarriage stories this week and I am full of grief for those devastated Mammas.   
creating :
plans for a new and improved homeschooling storage system for next year.  Now if only that closet would clean itself…
hoping : to finally get my act together and paint my living room.  I’ve had this paint since February and am dying to get that checked off my list of to-dos. 
needing : some one-on-one time with the hubby this weekend.  Our lives are moving too fast…I feel like I barely saw him this week!  Maybe an at-home date night is needed.
wondering :
if you’d be interested in trying out Kiva?  (I wrote about my experience with the organization here.)  A generous anonymous funder has given you the ability to try it out for free. Click here for all the details and to sign up!  

Have a great weekend, friends!

{etsy finds} Sugar and Spice, and Everything Nice

It happens every time.  With every pregnancy so far, I have been quite convinced from the very beginning that I was carrying a boy.  This pregnancy has been no exception.  Much to the dismay of many curious strangers, we aren’t “trying for a girl” and I actually would be quite excited for boy #4.  BUT…there’s always a small time period (usually right before the “big” ultrasound) where I start to question: What if?

So here are a few sweet things I found on etsy…just in case:

but wait, there’s deals…
the Art Print was created by trafalgarssquare: enter LUCKYME at checkout to get 36% off! 
the pink gown is made by Nostalgic Graphic Tees: enter 25SPRING at checkout to get 25% off! 

{read along} Mitten Strings for God: One on One Time


Last summer, I was reading Mitten Strings for God and recording my thoughts here on the blog, chapter by chapter.  Somehow I misplaced the book and that series fell to the wayside.  Funny what a little spring cleaning will do…I found the book again and decided to start back up!  You can find my previous entries here.
———————————-

“Mothers can get so caught up in the caretaking that we may overlook each child’s need to be seen as an individual, with unique tastes and temperaments and gifts.  But mothering is not just a simple matter of meeting our children’s physical needs.  We must also strive to meet them at a deeper level, recognizing in each one a special character and fate.  It is up to us, as mothers, to see these soul qualities and to honor and protect them.  Alone with our children, one on one, we have a chance to see and hear and accept them as they really are, right now, in this moment.  We see them not in relation to their siblings, friends, or peers, or as a piece of the large family puzzle – but as unique individuals, each with a particular destiny to fulfill on this earth.  Such recognition is a basic human need.” – page 81-82

Food for thought, right?  I definitely am guilty of seeing my children as a collective sometimes: get the boys lunch, put on a movie for the boys, time for the boys’ baths, etc.  But with a new baby coming, this chapter couldn’t come at a more perfect time.  More children equals a stretched Mamma.  And while I can’t promise that I’ll have it all together (in fact I can guarantee it’ll be quite the opposite!), I do want to start brainstorming ideas to give M, D and J each a little quality time.  

A few ideas so far:

  • Leave the baby with Daddy and take J grocery shopping with a special stop at the bakery.
  • Declare to the house that it is “M and Mamma” hour and shut the door.  Practice reading (him to me or me with a read-aloud).
  • Take D outside to play soccer in the yard, one on one complete with smack talk (his favorite!).
  • Surprise M and D with a trip to the movie theater.
  • Find an easy recipe and let J help.

What do you do in your home for one-on-one time with the kiddos?

{chit chat} Confirmation and other Miscellany

1. Thank you so much for the e-mails and comments on Thursday’s post.  I really felt the prayers.  With a little sleep and a few days to process everything, I think I am in a much better place.  Looking forward to a more positive week!

2. I had the huge honor of being my baby sister’s Confirmation sponsor this weekend.  The Bishop’s homily was amazing and even though it was geared toward the teens, I came away with so many nuggets of wisdom to ponder.  Funny how some themes are applicable to any age group.

3. Spring is here and I’m loving the fresh food we’ve been able to pick up.  Exhibit A: grape tomatoes!  They were as delicious to eat as they were to photograph. 

4. The D-Man has become Mr. Personality lately.  One of his favorite games is to have me photograph his many “faces”.  He says, “See this face” or “What about this face, Mamma?”.  Such a comedian…I just love that special boy. 

Miscellany Monday @lowercase letters

Amazon Disclosure Policy

The Big White Farmhouse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

Archives

Copyright © 2025 The Big White Farmhouse · Theme by 17th Avenue