The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{around here} Week 40/52: Week of 10.5.15

A collection of our ordinary days, recorded every week.  At the end of the year, I’ll publish them into a keepsake to treasure.

Around here, I have been:


loving how TJ has all of a sudden attached himself to blankets.  He drags them behind him through the  house, just like Linus!  It’s ridiculously cute.


wishing the cooler fall weather would come back.  It went back to the high 70’s this week and I was so bummed.  I’ll take sweater weather over sweating anytime.


making homemade quicksand.  Most of the kids are a little “anti-mess” and wouldn’t even put their fingers in the concoction.  Sophie, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough!  She played for over an hour.  


finishing up The Winter of our Disconnect (this book rocked my world…a separate blog post to come!) and starting John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father.


watching the kids play poker.  Mark taught them last weekend and they are all.about.it.  A peek into the future maybe?


listening to The Hobbit on Audible as the kids colored a page I found online.  It was the quintessential homeschool moment and I ate it right up.


decluttering the playroom and really considering each toy’s worth.  Is it used?  Does it foster creativity?  We worked together and got rid of A LOT.  I’m anxious to keep the momentum going to other rooms in the house.      


thanking the good Lord for a happy baby again.  TJ spent most of last week fussy and clingy and I couldn’t figure out why.  I randomly peeked into his mouth this week and discovered four molars coming in!  Don’t let the Mother of Five Badge fool you – I still have no idea what I’m doing.

{saving our pennies} Five Easy Ways to Make Money While Decluttering

After thinking about contentment for an entire week now, I believe that part of the process is enjoying the things you already have.  Not just accepting that you don’t have the latest cell phone or the kitchen you’ve pinned on Pinterest, but actually really enjoying the items you have acquired.  

 Mark and I have spent the last ten years accumulating things that make up our home.  Like most people, it’s a healthy mix of heirloom quality furniture and cheap-o Ikea, well thought through purchases and quite a few impulse buys too.  In short, we have enough.  Probably too much.

 So now as we enter our second decade of marriage (next month!), I’m looking at our things in a new light: if the items in our home cause me stress or overwhelm, it’s time to let them go.  Since we’re also working on our student loan debt, I’m killing two birds with one stone by selling what we don’t need.  Here are five easy ways I’m making money while decluttering the house:

 Linking up with Jenna today!

 1. Ebay  //  Ebay was my first experience with online selling and my first love.  (I wrote my best tips and tricks for purchasing in this post!)  I use ebay to sell easy to ship items that have a pretty good profit margin: shoes I never wear, homeschool curriculum, etc.  

 2. Kidizen  //  Kidizen is my latest find and I love it.  It’s a phone app that works much like ebay, but only sells kids clothing, shoes, and accessories: perfect one-stop shopping for moms!  I just started selling items in our shop (find me at Big White Farmhouse!) but so far, it’s been an easy experience.      

 3. Facebook Yard Sale Groups  //  One quick search on Facebook and I’m sure you’ll find a yard sale group near you.  I actually find this way the most aggravating (we’ve been dealing with people who don’t show up or neglect to tell you they pass on an item, grr), but this is the way to go when you have big items that are too difficult to ship.  Right now, we’re trying to sell a lawn mower and a headboard.    

 4. Amazon Used Books  //  Selling your old books through Amazon is really easy.  I have sold a lot of our old college textbooks and even books that I’ve read and ended up not enjoying.    

 5. Thredup  //  I can only personally speak to ThredUp from a buyer’s perspective, but I’m seriously considering requesting a bag to sell some of my unneeded clothing!  Seems easy enough: fill the bag, put in your mailbox and you’re done.  

What easy ways do you use to make a little extra money?  Tell me all your secrets!


**a few of the above links are affiliate – thanks for supporting the Big White Farmhouse!**


{saving our pennies} Five Easy Ways to Make Money While Decluttering

After thinking about contentment for an entire week now, I believe that part of the process is enjoying the things you already have.  Not just accepting that you don’t have the latest cell phone or the kitchen you’ve pinned on Pinterest, but actually really enjoying the items you have acquired.  

 Mark and I have spent the last ten years accumulating things that make up our home.  Like most people, it’s a healthy mix of heirloom quality furniture and cheap-o Ikea, well thought through purchases and quite a few impulse buys too.  In short, we have enough.  Probably too much.

 So now as we enter our second decade of marriage (next month!), I’m looking at our things in a new light: if the items in our home cause me stress or overwhelm, it’s time to let them go.  Since we’re also working on our student loan debt, I’m killing two birds with one stone by selling what we don’t need.  Here are five easy ways I’m making money while decluttering the house:

 Linking up with Jenna today!

 1. Ebay  //  Ebay was my first experience with online selling and my first love.  (I wrote my best tips and tricks for purchasing in this post!)  I use ebay to sell easy to ship items that have a pretty good profit margin: shoes I never wear, homeschool curriculum, etc.  

 2. Kidizen  //  Kidizen is my latest find and I love it.  It’s a phone app that works much like ebay, but only sells kids clothing, shoes, and accessories: perfect one-stop shopping for moms!  I just started selling items in our shop (find me at Big White Farmhouse!) but so far, it’s been an easy experience.      

 3. Facebook Yard Sale Groups  //  One quick search on Facebook and I’m sure you’ll find a yard sale group near you.  I actually find this way the most aggravating (we’ve been dealing with people who don’t show up or neglect to tell you they pass on an item, grr), but this is the way to go when you have big items that are too difficult to ship.  Right now, we’re trying to sell a lawn mower and a headboard.    

 4. Amazon Used Books  //  Selling your old books through Amazon is really easy.  I have sold a lot of our old college textbooks and even books that I’ve read and ended up not enjoying.    

 5. Thredup  //  I can only personally speak to ThredUp from a buyer’s perspective, but I’m seriously considering requesting a bag to sell some of my unneeded clothing!  Seems easy enough: fill the bag, put in your mailbox and you’re done.  

What easy ways do you use to make a little extra money?  Tell me all your secrets!


**a few of the above links are affiliate – thanks for supporting the Big White Farmhouse!**


{contentment} Step Two: Save Money

If you were to peek at our budget, I’m sure it’s similar to most one-income families.  We can pay our bills and have plenty of food in the fridge, but there’s not a lot of “extra” cash just floating around.  We still have student loans (uhh, the bane of my existence) and are working hard to be debt-free, Dave Ramsey style.  

At first glance, I don’t feel like money (or the lack thereof) plays a role in my contentment.  I am a chronic underbuyer and I very rarely covet the latest and greatest.  I’ll window shop all day long, but actually pulling out the debit card?  I’ve abandoned many an online cart.  


Looking at the bigger picture though, I can see how our debt is causing a subconscious unhappiness.  An underlying feeling of discontent, a weight that feels heavy and overwhelming.  


So how do I find contentment, right here as we continue to pay our monthly bill to SallieMae?  I don’t think this means that I should necessarily be happy to be in debt, but maybe there’s a balance?  Maybe I can find peace and motivation in the process, hoping for the future but not stressing or constantly thinking about that “one day”.  Debt-free AND feeling more content?  Sounds like a pretty great combination to me.


Just like with Step One, here’s my pep talk to myself for Step Two:


You are not a failure for having debt, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change things for the better.  
Work hard to get rid of the student loans, but don’t let the process consume you.
Determine and take the first steps needed to live below our means.  
Save more than you spend!  We don’t need to keep up with the Joneses.


You may also like:

{contentment} Step Two: Save Money

If you were to peek at our budget, I’m sure it’s similar to most one-income families.  We can pay our bills and have plenty of food in the fridge, but there’s not a lot of “extra” cash just floating around.  We still have student loans (uhh, the bane of my existence) and are working hard to be debt-free, Dave Ramsey style.  

At first glance, I don’t feel like money (or the lack thereof) plays a role in my contentment.  I am a chronic underbuyer and I very rarely covet the latest and greatest.  I’ll window shop all day long, but actually pulling out the debit card?  I’ve abandoned many an online cart.  


Looking at the bigger picture though, I can see how our debt is causing a subconscious unhappiness.  An underlying feeling of discontent, a weight that feels heavy and overwhelming.  


So how do I find contentment, right here as we continue to pay our monthly bill to SallieMae?  I don’t think this means that I should necessarily be happy to be in debt, but maybe there’s a balance?  Maybe I can find peace and motivation in the process, hoping for the future but not stressing or constantly thinking about that “one day”.  Debt-free AND feeling more content?  Sounds like a pretty great combination to me.


Just like with Step One, here’s my pep talk to myself for Step Two:


You are not a failure for having debt, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change things for the better.  
Work hard to get rid of the student loans, but don’t let the process consume you.
Determine and take the first steps needed to live below our means.  
Save more than you spend!  We don’t need to keep up with the Joneses.


You may also like:

{link list} Best of the Web Vol.04

It always seem that when I wrestle with something, God provides just what I need at every turn.  These are just a few of the articles I’ve come across the past few days.

To Be Rich in Holiness // “Sometimes, I think I confuse God with a financial planner, a realtor, and a college professor. I fall into the pattern of praying that is common in the land of plenty, fervently begging for the wrong things and overlooking the things that really matter to our Lord.”


Is It Out of Style to be Happy? // “As far as what should come next,  I’m pretty sure it’s either writing a design book or coming up with a product line. I’m hearing capitalize, capitalize, capitalize. But, my heart is screaming is contentment, contentment, contentment–which doesn’t seem to be a very popular buzzword these days. I’m willing to bet that whether you write a blog, teach kids, run an office, or manage a household, that doing more is a message that you’re hearing, too. It’s the underlying theme in just about everything we read, hear and see.  But, what if you’re happy doing what you’re already doing? What if the desire to do more, to go on to the next big thing, just isn’t there? The world tells us that it’s just not enough. I’ve been having a hard time seeing it for what it is. While I’ve been thinking it’s a lack of motivation, I think it might actually be called happiness.”


18 Things That Are Hard to Explain to Third-World Friends // “Seeing your life and culture through the eyes of someone else is eye opening.  It’s wild how it changes the way you see your life and gives you a completely new perspective.  It’s the kind of perspective that makes you pause and really take a look at what you need and what you want and what you have and the difference between all three.  It’s the kind of perspective that reminds you to compare your life to those with less instead of those with more.”


Educator, longtime Wheaton resident raised 8 children // “A devout Catholic, Maurer was a big believer in charity and humility, her son said.  ‘She embraced her responsibility to live her life in fidelity with what the God she loved asked her to do, which was to be humble and to be charitable,’ Karl Maurer said.

{link list} Best of the Web Vol.04

It always seem that when I wrestle with something, God provides just what I need at every turn.  These are just a few of the articles I’ve come across the past few days.

To Be Rich in Holiness // “Sometimes, I think I confuse God with a financial planner, a realtor, and a college professor. I fall into the pattern of praying that is common in the land of plenty, fervently begging for the wrong things and overlooking the things that really matter to our Lord.”


Is It Out of Style to be Happy? // “As far as what should come next,  I’m pretty sure it’s either writing a design book or coming up with a product line. I’m hearing capitalize, capitalize, capitalize. But, my heart is screaming is contentment, contentment, contentment–which doesn’t seem to be a very popular buzzword these days. I’m willing to bet that whether you write a blog, teach kids, run an office, or manage a household, that doing more is a message that you’re hearing, too. It’s the underlying theme in just about everything we read, hear and see.  But, what if you’re happy doing what you’re already doing? What if the desire to do more, to go on to the next big thing, just isn’t there? The world tells us that it’s just not enough. I’ve been having a hard time seeing it for what it is. While I’ve been thinking it’s a lack of motivation, I think it might actually be called happiness.”


18 Things That Are Hard to Explain to Third-World Friends // “Seeing your life and culture through the eyes of someone else is eye opening.  It’s wild how it changes the way you see your life and gives you a completely new perspective.  It’s the kind of perspective that makes you pause and really take a look at what you need and what you want and what you have and the difference between all three.  It’s the kind of perspective that reminds you to compare your life to those with less instead of those with more.”


Educator, longtime Wheaton resident raised 8 children // “A devout Catholic, Maurer was a big believer in charity and humility, her son said.  ‘She embraced her responsibility to live her life in fidelity with what the God she loved asked her to do, which was to be humble and to be charitable,’ Karl Maurer said.

{house to home} William Morris Project (Vol.7): Getting the Boys’ Room Ready for Fall

Part of my 31 Days of Contentment Challenge is seeing my home in a new light.  I truly want to learn to love the house I’m in instead of seeing it as just another move toward our “forever house”.  I want to focus less on resale value and more on making it feel like us. 
 Today is the first small step.



The boys’ room doesn’t get a lot of air time here on the blog because…well, it serves a purpose but it’s not much to look at.  Earlier this year, we purchased two sets of bunks and the three boys (TJ will join them next year) all sleep in the same room.  The rest of the furniture is a hodgepodge of things we already owned.  And despite the superhero coloring pages taped to the wall and the pillows we made this summer, it’s still pretty much a blank – and super boring – slate.   

So what better place to start than here?

Even though the boys really only use the room for sleeping (we keep their toys and Legos in the basement), they still deserve a space that is welcoming and peaceful – as peaceful as four brothers in one room can get, anyway.  So I decided to rip off their hot mess of sheets and blankets and start fresh.  Keep in mind that this is the very first step in the boys’ room makeover…prepared to be underwhelmed:



Mark picked up four duvet covers from Ikea for me on his way home from work.  (Bless that man.  Ikea gives him hives.)  They are blue and white stripe and I love their simplicity.  Underneath, the boys each have a different themed sheet set: Batman, Ninjago, and Superheroes are the current favorites.  I generally dislike things with licensed characters on them, so it’s nice having them tucked away under the matching duvets.  I decided to ditch the top sheet since it always ends up in a knot or crumbled at the bottom of the bed anyway.  The down inserts seem pretty warm, but we’ll add an extra quilt on top this winter if needed.  

Reactions from the boys?
“These are great, mom!  It’s like sleeping under a cloud.”
“This will be so much easier when I make my bed.”
“Cool.”

Still to do:
+ Buy more pillows for the matching shams
+ Install book storage and a light for each of their bunks (something like this?)
+ Frame and hang superhero art (that has been sitting in my closet for years)
+ Replace the lamp and nightstand with something more boyish (and can hold books maybe?)
+ Paint the old desk (I’m thinking navy blue?)
+ Replace the broken blinds and add curtains

I’m dipping my toes back into investing in my home.  The duvets were a small and seemingly insignificant beginning, but I think I’m getting the decorating bug again.

{house to home} William Morris Project (Vol.7): Getting the Boys’ Room Ready for Fall

Part of my 31 Days of Contentment Challenge is seeing my home in a new light.  I truly want to learn to love the house I’m in instead of seeing it as just another move toward our “forever house”.  I want to focus less on resale value and more on making it feel like us. 
 Today is the first small step.



The boys’ room doesn’t get a lot of air time here on the blog because…well, it serves a purpose but it’s not much to look at.  Earlier this year, we purchased two sets of bunks and the three boys (TJ will join them next year) all sleep in the same room.  The rest of the furniture is a hodgepodge of things we already owned.  And despite the superhero coloring pages taped to the wall and the pillows we made this summer, it’s still pretty much a blank – and super boring – slate.   

So what better place to start than here?

Even though the boys really only use the room for sleeping (we keep their toys and Legos in the basement), they still deserve a space that is welcoming and peaceful – as peaceful as four brothers in one room can get, anyway.  So I decided to rip off their hot mess of sheets and blankets and start fresh.  Keep in mind that this is the very first step in the boys’ room makeover…prepared to be underwhelmed:



Mark picked up four duvet covers from Ikea for me on his way home from work.  (Bless that man.  Ikea gives him hives.)  They are blue and white stripe and I love their simplicity.  Underneath, the boys each have a different themed sheet set: Batman, Ninjago, and Superheroes are the current favorites.  I generally dislike things with licensed characters on them, so it’s nice having them tucked away under the matching duvets.  I decided to ditch the top sheet since it always ends up in a knot or crumbled at the bottom of the bed anyway.  The down inserts seem pretty warm, but we’ll add an extra quilt on top this winter if needed.  

Reactions from the boys?
“These are great, mom!  It’s like sleeping under a cloud.”
“This will be so much easier when I make my bed.”
“Cool.”

Still to do:
+ Buy more pillows for the matching shams
+ Install book storage and a light for each of their bunks (something like this?)
+ Frame and hang superhero art (that has been sitting in my closet for years)
+ Replace the lamp and nightstand with something more boyish (and can hold books maybe?)
+ Paint the old desk (I’m thinking navy blue?)
+ Replace the broken blinds and add curtains

I’m dipping my toes back into investing in my home.  The duvets were a small and seemingly insignificant beginning, but I think I’m getting the decorating bug again.

{in the kitchen} Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Fall Tradition

This post originally aired last November, but I thought it was fitting to share it again this weekend.  We’ve already made our first batch of the season! 

One of my favorite things about having a family is creating traditions that we all look forward to each year.  My kids are still quite young, so we’re still in the stage of trying new things and seeing what sticks.  Baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies has become one of those traditions. 

 This year seemed particularly special.  With Pandora playing in the background, the kids danced while Mark and I chatted as I whipped up a batch of these cookies.  They all watched eagerly (my husband included!) through the oven window as the cookies baked.  We even had running commentary as they counted down the minutes.  And then, when they heard the beep of the timer, there were cheers all around and I couldn’t get the cookies off the tray fast enough!  The kids all managed to burn their fingers or mouths, but to them, it was totally worth it.  Life is rarely picture perfect, but it felt pretty close that night.

 If you like pumpkin, these cookies are definitely worth a try.  They are fluffy, a little bit cakey and perfect with a cup of coffee, if you can keep them long enough to brew some!  I hope you enjoy.

 

To print: Right click the recipe card above to save to your desktop.  You should be able to print from there.

 

{contentment} Step One: Redefine Enough

Have you seen this Youtube video that made its rounds a few weeks ago?

Even though the video is actually an ad, I thought it was really thought-provoking.  It makes me wonder: when I’m old and gray and looking back, what will I think of my life?  Will I have regrets?  Will I think my life was enough?


As I’m sure this blog shows, I’m a go-getter.  I’m a doer.  I work best with a full plate, fueled by the challenge to juggle all the balls.  I tend to reach a comfortable cruising level and suddenly decide to take it up a notch. 


And yet.


Unfortunately, what gets me fired up may also be a big source of my discontentment.  Every month, I set goals and make lists, causing me to strive for what’s next, what is just beyond my reach.  Sometimes I get so caught up in the doing, I totally miss the bigger picture.  


So here is my pep talk to myself, as I find the balance between striving for a full life and being satisfied with my life just as it is:  


I am enough.  
In God’s eyes, I am enough.
My crazy, messy, roller-coaster of ups and downs life is enough.
Maybe here right now is enough too.  I have a roof over my head, food in the fridge, and a place to sleep.  My kids are happy and healthy and my marriage is good.  These things alone are such a blessing and a privilege.    


Time to spend more time being and a little less time doing.


————————————

A few great links to check out:
+ Mamas, need a big picture reminder? This recent post from Ashley Ann was a good one: A Good Gut Punch
+ I recently watched a documentary called Living on One Dollar.  Another good one for putting things in perspective.
+ A great way to help others is through the micro loan program, Kiva loans.  I’ve used them for years and highly recommend it.  Even $25 can do so much.

{around here} Week 39/52: Week of 9.28.15


A collection of our ordinary days, recorded every week.  At the end of the year, I’ll publish them into a keepsake to treasure.

Around here, I have been:

watching the rain fall all week.  All of our commitments have been cancelled, so we’ve been sticking close to home.  There’s something so soothing about being home when the weather is bad outside.  The only downfall to a week of dreary days?  Less than awesome photographs.


loving how Sophia calls a flashlight a “sunlight”: “You seen my sunlight, mama?”


baking more bread.  I smartened up and made three loaves at once this time, which lasted us two and a half days.  A personal record.


reading The Winter of our Disconnect.  This book is challenging me to put away the electronic distractions (I mean, how many times can you really scroll through Instagram?) and do the things I always say I’d like to do.      


listening to classical music during school.  I love how the kids have been picking out the  different instruments as they listen.  


choosing to go No Sugar again in October.  I’m hoping it will help alleviate some hormonal symptoms I’ve been having.  I’m also part of a Facebook group and the community there is really helpful.  

excited to have scored a deep freezer for $30 at our neighbor’s garage sale!  Just in time because we will soon be picking up our second Zaycon Fresh order: 80 pounds of chicken breasts!  #bigfamilyproblems


planning ideas and posts for this 31 Day Writing Challenge.  It’s scary and intimidating and exciting all at once.  Only 29 posts to go!

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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