Around here, I have been:

taking care of my family as a viral infection made its way through the house.  A sudden fever, headache, aches, chills and sore throat…how the heck do you get these symptoms when it’s over 100 degrees outside?!  I managed to nurse everyone back to the land of the living before catching a sore throat myself. (#mamalife) I’m also dealing with some pretty intense ligament pain, which is making it hard to do anything quickly.  I’m tired.


nesting, despite the pain and exhaustion, like a crazy person.  I’ve been decluttering, organizing and cleaning like the baby is due to arrive any day.  (I’m only 24 weeks.)  I even put the new bassinet together, all by myself, because I couldn’t stand walking by the box anymore!  At this point in family size, most women are extra laid back – I apparently turn insane, even earlier than normal.  Poor Mark and the kids.     


finishing up shopping for S and TJ, my September birthdays.  (A friendly reminder: don’t forget to support your favorite bloggers and use their links when shopping!  I know it’s always so appreciated.)  They both are at such fun ages, turning 2 and 4 (!!), and I’ve had so much fun picking out gifts for them.  

(not) reading.  I’m in a reading funk – I haven’t picked up a book all week.  I think I just have too much going on in my brain right now to settle into a book.


seeing new little birds around our backyard.  We think they’re barn swallows.  They are so cute and small, but are pooping all over my porch!


calling it a light “work week” for Big White Farmhouse.  Some weeks I can commit to a lot, others not so much.  I love that about small business.  A few notes to remember:
+ I finished listing most of the remaining Vintage Finds and restocked the wooden rattles.  We added a new bear design and I love it!  
+ Consistent social media marketing is starting to pay off!
+ Christmas is on the brain already as I started making lists about possible purchases.  So excited for what’s to come in the next few months!

watching Limitless and Jim Gaffigan on Netflix.  We also started Vikings on Amazon Prime, which I have mixed feelings about.  I appreciated Bishop Barron’s commentary, but I feel like he didn’t make enough of a disclaimer about the violence and nudity!


taking the big boys out, one at a time, to get their school supplies.  I am loving the one-on-one time with them, holding their hands and hearing them talk without any distractions.  I also love seeing what they choose: this year, black and red seem to be the favorite colors!  In other back-to-school news, I’ve been starting to get special treats to go in their lunches.  I bought a few of these organizers for the pantry and love them for the “these are special, you can’t eat them now” purpose. 


listening to M read to his little siblings complete with hilarious voices!  So thankful that he can read aloud for hours without getting hoarse like his poor mama.  

Around here, I have been:

starting some small health changes.  I haven’t really excercised all summer and am feeling the nudge to begin again.  I started my 30-Day Walking Challenge (#60 on my 100 Little Things list) and it’s been nice to carve out that 20-minute “me” time.  I’ve also been feeling the need for more veggies in my life, so trying a mix of juicing and adding more to my plate (when I can stomach them).


reading A Spoonful of Sugar and Struck by Lightning….barely.  So much going on and not enough time to sit down and read.


saving, because of Rosie’s reminder, Box Tops for our elementary school.  We don’t typically buy tons of products that have them, but every little bit counts, right?  I put a little Mason jar in the kitchen to collect them.


buzzing TJ’s hair!  It’s been on our to-do list all summer, but we’ve been hesitant to have him look so grown up.  He looks SO different, but adorable and is now the spitting image of his big brothers.


starting a new series over on Big White Farmhouse’s poor, neglected blog: Monday Morning Coffee Chat.  It’s a weekly collection of delicious recipes, easy DIY projects, and gorgeous interiors.  I’m having fun curating all of the inspiration I’ve pinned over the years to create the collections.  In other BWF news, new art prints have arrived!  We restocked Following Seas and picked two new designs.  The first one, Wonder, is up and the second will hopefully go up next week!


meal planning again.  I’ve had a lazy summer of winging it but am trying to get back into a regular routine before the fall.  This week’s menu:

Around here, I have been:


watching the kids have a mega water balloon fight with friends at the park.  We bought two packs of these and they worked relatively well, but it always goes way too fast!  


finishing The Cuckoo’s Calling – finally!  At the recommendation of a friend, I started Struck by Lightning.  Whew – deep read, but an important reminder to keep your eyes on the One who matters most.  I’m also reading A Spoonful of Sugar: A Nanny’s Story from the library.


purchasing a flower girl dress for Sophia and a few (hopefully successful!) choices for me.  My brother is getting married this fall and I’ll be a hefty 30 weeks along, so my options are pretty limited.  I ordered three dresses from ASOS and am praying at least one of them works!


drinking ice cold lemonade from Chickfila, my favorite on a hot day.


eating way too many pieces of licorice.  Mark (bless him) came to my rescue when I mentioned a craving and I’ve been sneaking a few at a time when the kids are distracted.  Did you see this post from Bunmi Laditan on Facebook this week?  Um…guilty.  I don’t want to share!   


finding my groove as I work on Big White Farmhouse this week:
+ I started tracking my hours which surprisingly kept me on course and helped me avoid Facebook scrolling rabbit trails.  Monday-Thursday totals: 3hrs 45min, most likely rounding out to 5hrs by the end of the weekend.  
+ Being more active on Instagram is a lot of fun and I’m discovering so many wonderful, talented ladies.  I also connected with a talented sign maker and am so excited to carry her work in our shop!
+ I photographed and entered a bunch of new vintage products to the site with even more to come!

trying not to complain about this unbearable heat wave, but woo!  SO HOT!    

reaching 20 weeks – halfway there already!  I had an ultrasound on Monday and it was surreal as always: he was curled up in a ball, with his sweet arm over his face and his ankles crossed.  He’s measuring right on target and everything looks perfect.  On my end, I’m hoping my slightly elevated blood pressure just means I’m getting old and live a crazy, somewhat stressful life…and not a bigger problem.  (Which, by the way, doesn’t get better when you try to self-diagnose yourself in the middle of the night and read the horror stories…not that I would know…ahem.)    

hoping my overactive brain doesn’t drive me crazy!  Lately, my thoughts have been swirling with ideas, plans, to-do lists and dreams: Big White Farmhouse, home projects, cold-weather wardrobes and school supplies, fall birthdays, holidays and even a wedding.  Saving money, spending money, rental property management, grocery lists, menu plans, tiny baby clothes, pregnancy weight gain and doctor’s appointments.  Thank goodness pure exhaustion is enough to lull me to sleep at night – there’s no turning this craziness off! 

getting back on track after too many nights of fast food with lots of healthy dinners. The menu this week:

Around here, I have been:


bringing a family a meal to celebrate the birth of their fourth baby (and first daughter!).  The dad is a friend of Mark’s, so he went all out: BBQ ribs, homemade baked beans, his special coleslaw and homemade macaroni and cheese.  I stayed out of his way and just helped package everything up, hah!


working on house projects. Nesting is in full swing already and I was happy to knock a few things off the list:
+ Finally hung curtains in the kitchen (just simple ones from Ikea, my favorite)
+ Went on a date with Sophia to Homegoods and picked up a big basket for dirty laundry (to go in the upstairs hallway) and found a lamp for my office.  Now I can hop in and work even after dark – game changer!
+ Picked out a ceiling fan and kitchen/laundry room lighting for our electrician to install


ordering a bassinet on Amazon Prime Day.  Our old one officially bit the dust and I didn’t really want to commit to an expensive one at this stage in the game.  So lucky to have found a nice one with good reviews and a small footprint for less than $80!


reading We Have Always Lived in the Castle (finished!) and The Cuckoo’s Calling.


spending a week on vacation in Maine!  We got a few new things for the 10-hour trip: this car topper and color-coordinated LLBean duffle bags for each of the kids (we waited for a sale, plus 2% back on ebates!).  Other favorites: puddle jumpers for the little ones, a Pirates of the Carribean audiobook from the library and fluffy striped beach towels.


staying at our family’s camp right on the lake.  The weather was warm, but definitely not Virginia unbearable, so we loved it.  We swam for hours multiple times a day.  It was so surreal to have my children experience one of my favorite childhood memories.

filling our days making lots of memories.  The highlights: delicious Italian sandwiches and Whoopie Pies, swimming morning, noon and night, spending time with extended family, playing Pie Face! (a huge hit!), a quick Freeport trip while the big three enjoyed their first baseball game with cousins, and a visit to the farmhouse.

enjoying a new ice cream spot – we went two days in a row because it was so good!  I had mint chocolate chip and coffee heath bar…still dreaming about it.


laughing at our sweet, sweet Sophia.  Her latest is calling watermelon, “waterlemon”.

surviving an exciting ride home.  We left at 1am and at around 4, our “low tire pressure” light came on.  We stopped at a gas station, filled the tire and thought we were home free…except 20 minutes later, the light returned.  On the second stop, we could hear a hissing from the tire – definitely a hole!  Mark called roadside assistance, who helped us with a very tricky spare, allowed us to follow him to the body shop and then plugged the hole.  A two hour delay, but thankfully the rest of the trip was uneventful.


settling back into reality.  We were so sad to leave (there were tears from a few of us!) but happy to sleep in our own beds and get back into a normal routine.

Around here, I have been:


celebrating the Fourth of July…sort-of.  Honestly, it was a bit of a bust – the cloudy, rainy weather ruined most of my plans and excitement.  Oh well, there’s always next year!


baking blueberry peach cobbler twice.  It’s definitely our family’s summer tradition and just as good as I remembered.  We devoured an entire 9″x13″ pan in one sitting.


finishing up my third 100 Little Things list to begin in August.  I’m so excited about it, I want to get started now!  Instead, I’m hoping to cross off a few more items on Round Two…one month to go!  On the list: a baseball game for the kids, new flavors of lemonade, and possibly breaking out the sewing machine to make Sophia pajama pants.  


working on a basic social media schedule for Big White Farmhouse’s third quarter.  I nailed down some promos/sales and did some research about marketing.  So much to do and learn, there’s never a dull moment in this business!


reading The American Way of Eating (which was really interesting…I’m still gathering my thoughts) and just starting We Have Always Lived in the Castle.  My “to-read” list on Goodreads is over 300 books, so I’m thinking I may need to reel myself in, stick to the list and cut that number down a bit…is that even possible?  So many books to read, so little time.  


having crazy, bizarre dreams – thank you pregnancy!  Some have been really scary and I’ve woken up in a sweat, praying every protection prayer I can think of in my semi-awake stuper.  Thankfully, though, most of the dreams are just random and involve family members, TV characters and even a few people I haven’t seen since high school.  


working on our emergency preparedness kit again. Somewhere in the last six months, I misplaced my list and that task fell to the back, BACK burner.  But after our little power outage scare last week, I’m re-inspired!  First things to purchase are more cases of water and a battery-operated cell phone charger.  #priorities


loving how big TJ is getting this summer.  All of a sudden, just like his brothers before him, he is all about his “guys” and will play happily for 20 minutes (which is like forever for that little busy-body!) at a time.  He’s also loving a Lego Superman movie we own and asks to watch it daily, complete with happy dance.  

watching a crazy squirrel intent on making it to our bird feeder!  He hangs on our screen and is oblivious to the kids smacking the window.  I think the poor thing is scared to death!

surviving a week with Mark away on business. Long days, but we did okay.  We had movie night with pizza delivery (AND breadsticks because I’m the “best mom ever”, hah!) and a playdate with friends.  I surprised them with ice cream cones and a new playground to discover.  But the biggest event of the week was a huge thunderstorm (with hail and everything!) that blew out our power.  As I panicked a bit trying to round up all the flashlights while making sleeping arrangements in my room for the kids while trying to remember how long a refrigerator can go before everything spoils, the power miraculously returned after about three hours!  


completing a little bookshelf project in the upstairs hallway.  I wanted a space to display books and these Ikea shelves were cheap and perfect.  Hopefully, the kids will be inspired to read more of our collection by seeing them out and available.  


trying to get into a routine of regular work on Big White Farmhouse.  I know I will see the most return of my time if I invest consistent hours, but finding those pockets of time is so tricky!  Aiming for an hour a day, most often broken into twenty minute chunks.  This week, I got new vintage sewing drawers ready and listed and worked on our monthly newsletter to go out Saturday.  Not much, but baby steps in the right direction.  


reading Chateau of Secrets (just finished!) and starting The American Way of Eating.


watching documentaries to finish up #6 on my 100 Little Things list.  I’m reaching the end date to that goal soon!  Currently, the list is only about 40% completed, but I’m hoping to knock out a few more before August 1.  Time to start thinking about round three…


feeling the baby kick for the first time.  Is there really any more amazing feeling?  So surreal and it just never gets old.  What a privilege it is to carry another baby into this world.


diffusing Lavender and Jade Lemon almost everyday.  I’m kind-of obsessed with Jade Lemon right now.


laughing at my sweet Sophie: instead of saying “all aboard”, she says “on the board!”  All of a sudden, she is really into playing with rocks: stacking, organizing, creating stories.  She also is really interested in ice skating and loves to “skate” around the house in her socks.  She’s a sassy little thing, but I sure love this age.  

Around here, I have been:

starting again, a bit hesitantly, on this little series of mine.  My camera has been sitting unused for months and it’s funny how quickly you can fall out of a habit.  Seeing my children and my home through that lens, though, is so helpful to me in terms of acknowledging everyday beauty and having gratitude. It’s a habit I want to continue, both for posterity’s sake and (selfishly) for my own.


drinking sparkling water (lime or orange are the current favorites) with frozen blueberries as “ice” – so good and refreshing.

watching Leverage at night with Mark.


working on my Christmas prep to-do list for Big White Farmhouse.  Summer is notoriously slow for retail, so I’m taking advantage and getting things to prepare for the Christmas rush.  This week, I got in a new order of burlap market totes, tea towel sets and cloth napkins.  Love them all!


introducing the kids to Bob Ross.  They were skeptical at first, but soon grew to love him as much as their mama.  J was especially cute in the days after: “Mama, I was inspired by Bob.  I’m going to make a happy little tree.  And it’s okay if I get a little messy.  I bet Bob gets messy painting too.”   


reading Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend.  Also slowly making my way through The Fulfillment of All Desire…so much food for thought there.  I only read 4-5 pages at a time.


watching D start to really enjoy reading.  I bought this book for him at an Usborne book party and he devoured it in one day!  He’s now started in on the Flat Stanley series.  Another update on D: we received the results of his assessment and he showed signs of mild dyslexia (which is great news!) as well as more significant dysgraphia.  It’s encouraging to know the problem, so we can work to find the solution.  Lots of fun writing practice is in our future this summer! 

nesting like a crazy woman already.  I have a list of home projects a mile long!  This week’s highlights: we finally got a bench for our dining room and can now all fit at the table.  I also found a new welcome mat.

Around here, I have been:

feeling… off.  And to be honest, I think I’ve felt like this for at least two weeks now.  I’m no stranger to bouts of the blues, but I really couldn’t pinpoint the source, until lightbulb moment – TJ stopped nursing.  For almost 10 years now, I have nursed my babies until pregnant with the next one…repeat repeat repeat.  This is the first time in 10 years that my body is my own – and holy cow, do I feel like my insides are wreaking havoc!  I did some research about depression after weaning (not that I think I am depressed, more like something just doesn’t feel right) and while there isn’t much available, a lot of what I did find holds true for me: fatigue, general sadness, moodiness, etc.  It’s helpful to know that this is normal and I’m hoping that being extra gentle with myself will help me ride it out.  Below are a few articles and blog posts that I found, in case you ever feel like you’re in the same boat:

• What Nobody Tells You About Weaning After Breastfeeding
• The Hardest Two Months of My Life
• the comments in Developing Depression After Weaning From Breastfeeding

working away on Big White Farmhouse.  With all the other yuck going on in my head, I’m so thankful for the excitement this little business brings me.  I have big, big dreams.

reading The Secrets of Midwives.


watching the kids and how much they played with our old wooden blocks this week.  So many of the “flashier” toys get tossed aside so quickly, but they always seem to come back to the blocks.  

preparing for the start of soccer season!  M is returning for his eighth season and J is starting his very first!  He is too cute, practicing in the yard with his new cleats and soccer ball.  I can’t wait to see both of them play this spring.


debating new hair styles.  For two years, I’ve been growing my hair out in order to donate (#1 on my 100 Little Things list!) and this weekend is the big chop!  I’m excited and so ready for the change.  I’m sure it will literally feel like a weight has been lifted. 

Around here, I have been:


cleaning the carpets!  (You know you’re getting old when this brings sincere excitement!)  We rented a Rug Doctor from the grocery store for 24 hours and there’s something so satisfying about the process.  Of course, within days, one of the kids knocked over an entire cup of coffee…AND this is why we can’t have nice things.


surviving a busy week of appointments.  All five kids had doctor’s checkups (all healthy and perfect!) and a dentist checkup for me (cavity free!).  


feeling so inspired by this podcast with the founder of Neighbor’s Table.  My mind is racing with big dreams and ideas for implementing something right where we are.


starting a bullet journal.  I already use a similar system, but decided to invest in a special hardbound book.  I LOVE the mix of daily to-dos with a little bit of creativity.


reading The Mapmaker’s Children.


watching Fluffy, our neighborhood cottontail rabbit, build a nest in our yard.  We think she is preparing a space for her babies and the kids are beside themselves!  They check for her every morning.

Around here, I have been:


starting spring cleaning with a bang.  I’m feeling the pressure to get my to-do list accomplished before soccer season starts!  This week’s accomplishments: I dragged the vacuum around on my hands and knees and sucked up every last dust bunny and crumb in all the nooks and crannies.  I also thoroughly vacuumed the stairs vs. the quick brush they usually get.  Next up: finishing the painting in the living room (which I’ve been meaning to get to for…a year?) and cleaning all the carpets.   


reading Bakhita: From Slave to Saint, The Mapmaker’s Children and Better than Before for book club.

trying a new blend in my diffuser called the “Afternoon Blast”: lemon and peppermint.  I didn’t mind it, but the kids thought it smelled weird.  (P.S. I also started a journal page for my essential oils where I’ve been jotting down what I’ve been learning.  My goal is to research or try something new at least twice a week.)  

thinking about the class I’m teaching at the co-op next year.  The co-op is in the planning stage for next year and I volunteered to teach a class for the 5/6-year-olds.  My running idea is “Travel Around the World through Literature” and it will be picture books with some geography, crafts and food mixed altogether.     


buying last minute things for Easter.  Everyone has clothes (even me!) and the baskets are complete except for the chocolate, so I’d say I’m pretty prepared.  Lent went by so quickly this year and I definitely feel like I bombed in preparation.  I had such big goals and am sad to say that I don’t think I did well at any of them.  Maybe that was God’s lesson for me (as always!): I don’t need to be in control.


working out and loving Dollar Workout Club (if you sign up through this link, you get the first week free!).  I start half marathon training in two weeks, so I’ve increased my weight training to give myself the best jump start.  I definitely plan to continue (to a lesser degree) in the months to come too.  This week’s exercises:

letting TJ paint with the kids for the first time and ahh, what a disaster!  Dropping paint brushes on the floor, trying to climb onto the table, putting paint all over himself, adding his own touches to his siblings work….SO not ready for that level of fun!  I can’t help but laugh at the craziness.


ordering standardized testing for the boys and in disbelief that we’re nearing the end of the school year already.  Time sure flies.


homeschool notes:
+ I’ve been having the boys do some free writing using these Star Wars notebook pages.  Writing is always more fun when you have the right tools!  

Around here, I have been:


loving this warm weather!  We’ve had unseasonably warm days this week, with a few days even into the 80’s.  We’ve been playing at the park with friends, eating outside and just enjoying the sunshine.  Makes me so excited for spring!


watching new birds check out our hanging basket.  Last year’s fern is long dead, but I haven’t had the heart to remove the nest inside.  And now it looks like there will be new residents!  I’ll have to do a little trim of the worst pieces when the birds are away.


working out, but it was a struggle.  I just wasn’t feeling it this week!  I’ve been having dull headaches off and on and I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m not drinking enough water.  Definitely need to work on that next week.

switching winter clothes out for spring ones.  The kids love this activity, but I tend to dread it.  So many clothes in so many sizes…I get so overwhelmed and I just want to donate it all!  So glad to have that project done.  


reading Bakhita: From Slave to Saint, The Mapmaker’s Children and Better than Before for book club.


getting a lot of work in for Big White Farmhouse.  Ordering new products (so fun and nerve-wracking!), packaging orders, and tweaking a new social media strategy.  We also were offered a HUGE opportunity (more on that soon) and I am so excited to share BWF with a new audience.  

homeschool notes:
+ M is learning about the African savanna in his science co-op class and his teacher recommended this webcam.  It is awesome!  We were able to see an elephant and what we think are wild boar, which was so exciting.  It’s been fun to check in at different times of the day to see who’s near the watering hole.
+ For that same co-op class, M is doing his very first presentation.  This week he worked on his visual aid and he’ll start his talking points on notecards next.