The Big White Farmhouse | intentional living, little by little

June 15, 2011

{read along} Mitten Strings for God: Dailiness

Okay, I’ll admit it: I am your typical Type-A, over-achieving first born. Growing up, I liked working hard towards a goal and I gave 110% in everything I did, whether that be school, sports, or my job. Five years and three children later, I am realizing that for me, motherhood is no exception. I love my vocation and I want to do it well.

So one of the ways I am trying to better myself as a mother is to read great books. Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry was recommended to me by my own wonderful mother (who deserves a blog post all her own). I plan on going chapter by chapter and writing down some thoughts. Care to join me?

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Chapter 1: DAILINESS
I have been pondering this first section for days! I can honestly say, during my first few years of motherhood, savoring the everyday life was hard. As much as I enjoyed experiencing each day with my baby, the mundane was a hard adjustment. These seemingly insignificant things: laundry, dishes, feeding the baby, vacuuming… I realized I could resent them or embrace them.

It has taken practice to acknowledge that now is not forever and that these days are fleeting. Here are a couple of ways I am embracing the sacredness of everyday life:

Take the time to fully connect with each child. I try to spend a little time with each of my boys each day, and be 100% theirs. Whether it’s reading a book or playing with “guys”, I try to be with them with no distractions, no technology.
Participate in Project Life. This is my second year participating in this scrapbook system and it has done wonders as to how I see the everyday! I try to take a picture everyday, whether it be of the boys or just things that make me happy around the house. Then on the journaling cards, I write a little something about that day. Project Life has made me much more intentional in embracing our everyday. My favorite part is the ease in which I can write about the little things: the funny things the boys say, a cute story. All things I would hope I could remember, but would quickly forget in the bustle of life. I think these scrapbooks with be priceless in the years to come.

Stay tuned for Chapter 2!

“So, for their sakes as well as my own, I remind myself to slow down and enjoy the day’s doings. The daily rhythms of life, the humble household rituals, the nourishment I provide –these are my offerings to my children, given with love and gratefully received.” – pg.14

June 14, 2011

{in the kitchen} Southwestern Cobb Salad

Summer is upon us and it is hot, hot, hot! I rarely have the desire to be in the kitchen lately, so I’ve been on the lookout for easy, no-fuss dinner recipes! We recently tried this one (we adapted it from Cooking Light) and it was sooo good!

Southwestern Cobb Salad

8oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into pieces (for an even faster meal, you can also use rotisserie chicken. This is also a great recipe for using up leftover chicken)
about 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 cups torn romaine lettuce (or one big bag that you find prepared at the store)
1/2 cup pico de gallo (fresh salsa is usually found near the bagged salads in the produce section)
1/2 cup diced avocado
1/2 cup cheese – some in our family prefer just shredded cheddar, while others are more adventurous and like feta or pepperjack
1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

Preparing the salad is so easy. If you haven’t cooked the chicken, just toss in a pan and saute until no longer pink. Then, toss everything together into salad bowls and enjoy!

June 13, 2011

{giving} Sarah’s Wedding Gift

Found here

One of my dear friends from college is getting married next month! The wedding is far away in Montana so I won’t be able to attend. Such a bummer!

Since I can’t be there in person, I wanted to send Sarah and her beau something really special. If you know me, you know that I hate just purchasing something off of a registry! I have been searching off and on for a few weeks and today I found it! THE perfect gift!

This print is from hope ink and I was immediately drawn to it. I think it is a great verse to live by, especially for newlyweds. Now I want one for our house!

June 13, 2011

{i want to remember} – 6/13/11

Sometimes life gets so busy that I forget to notice and appreciate the little things. Here are some of the things I am loving this week:

I WANT TO REMEMBER… D’s hysterical new dance moves. He walks on his tippy toes, pointing out in different directions and his head is cocked to one side. So strange and yet so funny!

I WANT TO REMEMBER… how J will grab the big boys’ faces and dive in for a kiss. M & D are quite patient and actually volunteer for the “pinch kiss”.

I WANT TO REMEMBER… how lucky we are to have air conditioning! Our A/C was out for three days and of course it happened during a heat wave! With the temperature reaching 90 degrees inside the house, it was quite uncomfortable to say the least! We are all so thankful for that cool air (and our A/C guy who saved the day)!

I WANT TO REMEMBER… the sound of M’s belly laughs. They seem to come only occasionally (lately he’s become quite a serious boy) but once he gets laughing, there’s just no stopping him! This week, I was reading our very first chapter book aloud (Uncle B’s old Ninja Turtles), and used a voice that he thought was so funny. He belly laughed until he couldn’t breathe!

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