FIVE THINGS I LOVED

1. the most beautiful buck spotted in our front yard
2. a surprise piece of snail mail after a long week
3. getting to November 15th before turning on the heat
4. beeswax pillar candles from Sloan Family Farms
5. celebrating 17 years of marriage

FIVE LESSONS I LEARNED

1. Suffering isn’t a competition. // I often berate myself for not being able to handle struggles more gracefully while people we know are going through “harder” battles (an unforeseen job loss, a second trimester miscarriage, etc.).  But isn’t that silly?  Everyone has crosses and they’re all different.  And while it’s important to keep small struggles in perspective, it doesn’t make the suffering feel less hard.
2. A little distance from farming has reignited my love for it. // I was so burnt out earlier this fall and began questioning all of my life’s choices.  (More than a little dramatic, but you know what I mean.)  Thankfully, by focusing on other things for awhile, I’m feeling a twinge of excitement for our homestead again and have even started making plans for 2023.
3. Burning the candle at both ends will come back to haunt you eventually. // I was sick not once but twice(!!) this month.  Thankfully, my symptoms improved after a couple days of rest, but I definitely need to start taking better care of myself, especially with winter on the horizon.
4. Feelings are feelings and thoughts are thoughts; feelings and thoughts come and go, but we are not our feelings and thoughts. // I actually read this in the comment section of someone’s blog!  (There’s wisdom everywhere if you’re open to receiving it.)  I thought it was a good little mantra for when I spin myself into a tizzy of overwhelm or frustration or worry.
5. We have lots to be thankful for this year. // Lots and lots and lots.

FIVE GOALS FOR NOVEMBER REVIEWED

1. ✔ Pray novena prayers for the holy souls in Purgatory all month. // I received a little prayer card in the mail from Our Lady of Solitude Monastery and faithfully used their beautiful novena prayers.  I only missed a few days!
2. ✔ Plan a simple Thanksgiving dinner. // We were on our own for Thanksgiving this year, but we still enjoyed our simple day.
3. Finally finish the laundry room walls! // The project that never ends!  I was able to sand down the skimcoating (with a hand sander, which took forever) and am all ready to paint this weekend.
4. ✔ Plant garlic. // My first experience with garlic was super easy!  I went with Territorial’s Sliver White and followed these tips.
5. ✔ Finish Christmas shopping. // I still have a few stocking stuffers to go, but I’m considering this a win!  Such a relief that I won’t have to stress all through Advent.

FIVE GOALS FOR DECEMBER

1. Wrap, wrap, wrap!
2. Mail extended family gifts and cards early in the month.
3. Sew up the remaining three cross-stitch pillows for the big boys.
4. Finish an introductory Javascript coding course.
5. Relax, reflect on the year and brainstorm goals for 2023.

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Can you believe there’s only 45 days left in 2022?!  Since we’re on the homestretch, I thought it’s about time I reviewed my goals!  This should be interesting…

#1. GET SERIOUS ABOUT NUTRITION.  

My original intentions: 2021 was the year where I stopped making excuses and really took my health seriously.  I’m keeping that momentum by continuing intermittent fasting, weaning off of almost all processed foods, and giving up sugar for at least six months(!!).  I’d also like to focus on nutrient dense foods, with bonus points for food grown and raised by us.  My kids will be joining in on this adventure, just maybe a little less extreme.

How it’s going: BUAH HA HA HA.  Oh boy…I could not have fallen further from this goal.  During planting season, I survived on granola bars and “healthy” white cheddar puff Cheetos.  And this fall, my emotional eating habits went berserk as I dealt (poorly) with all of the stressors going on.  I’ll give myself a few bonus points for eating things grown by us (thank goodness for healthy meats and veggies!) but I’m a far cry from where I envisioned myself in January.

My plan for the rest of 2022: I’m feeling the effects of a lackluster diet and really need to refocus on nutritionally dense meals.  And the sugar…definitely need to rein that back in too.  Baby steps.

#2. READ MORE NONFICTION.

My original intentions: One of the cons of my 100 book reading goal was that I prioritized “easier” books that I knew I could breeze through quickly.  This year, I’d like to read more nonfiction, even if it takes me awhile to finish.  I entertained the idea of a new challenge (something like a 1001 Nonfiction Book Reading Challenge?), but ultimately decided to complete the Alphabet Challenge for Nonfiction first.

How it’s going: As of this writing, I have read 8 nonfiction books, which is 12.5% of my total reading.  Not exactly what I had pictured back in January, but not too terrible!  The eight books I read were:

• Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Your Child from an Oversanitized World by B. Brett Finlay & Marie-Claire Arrieta PhD || ★★★☆☆
• Communism and the Conscience of the West by Fulton J. Sheen || ★★★★☆
• Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture by Gabe Brown || ★★★★☆
• Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden || ★★★☆☆
• The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You by Eli Pariser || ★★★☆☆
• The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother’s Hidden Life by Jasmin Darznik ||
• Hidden America: From Coal Miners to Cowboys, an Extraordinary Exploration of the Unseen People Who Make This Country Work by Jeanne Marie Laskas || ★★★★☆
• Indestructible: The Unforgettable Memoir of a Marine Hero at the Battle of Iwo Jima by Jack Lucas || ★★★☆☆

My plan for the rest of 2022: I think I can squeeze in at least one more before year’s end!

#3. MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL WITH MY OWN HANDS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.  

My original intentions: This is lifegiving in the best way for me.

How it’s going: When I made this goal, I was imagining twelve finished projects that I could share at the end of each month.  And as we know…that definitely did not happen!  In reflection, though, I realized that I chased beauty in different, sometimes non-traditional ways: expanding my gardens, perfecting my sourdough bread, stitching and quilting and interior design.  It didn’t fit nicely in a box, but I think I was successful.

My plan for the rest of 2022: My focus has been on the house lately, so I’m going to keep running in that direction.  Maybe I’ll even finish the laundry room!

#4. EXPAND THE HOMESTEAD.  

My original intentions: Bigger gardens and more animals!  Little by little, we are creating a more self-sufficient way of life.

How it’s going: Big YES for this one!  We expanded the gardens, started the construction of the food forest, raised/processed 300 broiler chickens and 15 more hens, raised/processed two pigs and kept two other pigs healthy for breeding.  I’ve never worked so hard, but it’s the most satisfying kind of work.

My plan for the rest of 2022: I’m looking forward to doing the bare minimum!  I need the rest before hitting the ground running in 2023.

#5. AGGRESSIVELY WORK TOWARD THE GOAL OF PAYING OFF OUR MORTGAGE EARLY.  

My original intentions: Lots of thoughts fall under this huge goal.  I know my first order of business will be to brainstorm multiple income streams…what I can offer in the state of life I’m currently in?  What are my gifts?

How it’s going: This goal has ebbed and flowed throughout the year, but we are still inching closer and closer!  Some months we were able to put a big chunk on the principal, some months we could only manage the payment amount.  Even so, we’re still passionate about this goal so we’ll keep moving forward.  As of this writing, we’ve paid off 13.9% of the loan…only 86.1% to go!

My plan for the rest of 2022: As inflation soars, side hustles are becoming more and more important to keeping this goal alive.  2022 was the year for brainstorming and creation, 2023 will be for a more focused execution.  I hope to flesh out some goals before New Year’s Eve.

#6. IMPROVE MY SELF-PROTECTION SKILLS.

My original intentions: The world can be a dangerous place, but knowing you can protect yourself produces confidence and not fear.  This is the year I’ll finally finish my self defense course!

How it’s going: Zero progress made in this area.  I didn’t even pull the self defense course out of my closet!

My plan for the rest of 2022: This might make a good goal for the winter.  I’ll start by finding those DVDs, ha!

First things first: thank you so, so much for all of your kind words on my last post.  I appreciate you more than you know. xo

FIVE THINGS I LOVED

1. multi-colored leaves everywhere you look
2. cozy fires in the fireplace
3. baby steps closer on our financial goals
4. a basement setup that better suits our growing kids
5. magnesium supplementation

FIVE LESSONS I LEARNED

1. It feels good to stretch my creative muscles! // I tried a handful of new creative pursuits this month, including drawing, coding and interior design.  I’m not very good at any of them, but the challenge is exciting and I want to learn more.
2. Molting chickens are the saddest things I’ve ever seen. // So scrawny and pathetic!  Thankfully, the new feathers seem to come in pretty quickly.
3. “The Lord heard her cry.” // I am still going strong with the Bible in a Year podcast.  We have been reading the book of Daniel and one part in Chapter 13 really spoke to me.  (Don’t you love when that happens?)  The story of Susanna is not similar to my own in any way, but the words in verse 44 were so powerful to me: “The Lord heard her cry.”  He hears us, He cares.  Such a comforting reminder.
4. Catfishing still flabbergasts me. // I recently listened to Sweet Bobby, a podcast about catfishing.  These stories fascinate me because I find it hard to understand both sides of the story: the victim who blindly trusts someone who consistently refuses to Skype/meet in person and the criminal who weaves the entire fabrication.  Mindblowing.
5. Dresses are working for me right now. // With all of the things going on, I’ve…ahem…put on a few pounds.  I don’t stress out about it much (no time for that!) but it does change how clothes fit, especially pants.  So dresses have become my go-to daily outfit and I don’t hate it!

FIVE GOALS FOR OCTOBER REVIEWED

1. ✔ Start Christmas shopping.  A solid start!  The goal is to be completely finished by mid-November.
2. ✔ Stock the winter medicine cabinet.  I bought our go-to vitamins, supplements and teas (we were already okay with meds) and hopefully they’ll keep us all healthy this winter.
3. ✔ Take our own family pictures.  After a few years off, I decided to try to take our family pictures for Christmas cards.  It was a little crazy, but bigger kids make for less stress and more efficient photography.  We were done in ten minutes.
4. ✔ Learn how to water glass eggs.  Super easy!  And now we have eggs saved for a rainy day.
5. ✔ Review my intentions for blogging.  I’m not sure if I’m adding to the noise or speaking into the wind, but I think I’m supposed to keep showing up.

FIVE GOALS FOR NOVEMBER

1. Pray novena prayers for the holy souls in Purgatory all month.
2. Plan a simple Thanksgiving dinner.
3. Finally finish the laundry room walls!
4. Plant garlic.
5. Finish Christmas shopping.

FIVE THINGS I LOVED

1. the beginning of birthday season!
2. a thorough decluttering of all of the basement toys
3. feeling the chill in the air during morning chores
4. the living room chair finally delivered after three months of waiting
5. being on the same page as my husband

FIVE LESSONS I LEARNED

1. I’m always glad when I go.  Last year, I joined a book club but only made it to a few meetings due to other family commitments.  This year, I’m making it a bigger priority.  I often psyche myself out beforehand because the monthly meeting starts around 7:30 and at that time of day, I’m exhausted and ready for my pajamas!  But even so, I drink that extra cup of coffee and head out anyway.  And I’m always glad that I went.
2. It’s hard to watch someone you love struggle.  My husband dealt with painful health issues and a child’s learning disabilities reared their ugly head too.  I can help alleviate some of the suffering, but I can’t take it away.  So hard.
3. It’s not going to be perfect. My life is a lot like three full time jobs (homemaker, educator, homesteader) and I know it’s unrealistic for me to think that I can do all three of these perfectly.  I tend to throw myself completely at one to the detriment of the other two and…that’s not working so well.  I need to juggle all three simultaneously while remembering that my best effort, while nowhere perfect, is good enough.
4. Homesteading exposes you to a lot of death.  And it never gets easier.
5. “Death by a thousand cuts” is exactly the expression that describes September 2022.  The issues were not that big in and of themselves, but the sheer amount of them was staggering and they came at an alarming pace!  To everything there is a season…I’m praying for a reprieve in October.

FIVE GOALS FOR SEPTEMBER REVIEWED

1. ✔ Go on a date with my husband.  It’s been a crazy year and we needed some time to just be together.
2. Follow a daily skincare routine and see if I can notice any difference.  I faithfully followed all of the steps for four or five days and my skin looked worse and worse!  I’m not sure if it was an allergic reaction or what, but I’ll need to find a new product before trying this goal again.
3. ✔ Send some snail mail.  Not nearly as many as I had hoped, but I did manage to send a baptism gift and a thank you card.
4. ✔ Try a new sourdough recipe once each week.  Considering this one a partial success.  I made a handful of recipes in fits and spurts throughout the month, but it didn’t fit neatly in the “once each week” timeframe.
5. Paint the back doors.  Nope.  I bought the roller and the painter’s tape though!

FIVE GOALS FOR OCTOBER

1. Start Christmas shopping.
2. Stock the winter medicine cabinet.
3. Take our own family pictures.
4. Learn how to water glass eggs.
5. Review my intentions for blogging.  I have terrible writer’s block and am asking all the questions: What am I even doing here?  What do I have to offer?  Is the expense worth it?

FIVE THINGS I LOVED

1. a generous friend who helped us with pig processing logistics
2. baking with my daughter
3. the return of the dining room puzzle (and how it brings us together)
4. an easy start to school
5. new opportunities for my husband

FIVE LESSONS I LEARNED

1. The hits keep coming. // We were blindsided with bad news, but continue to trust that God will produce good fruit through this trial.  We pray the lament of Psalm 42 and imitate the psalmist’s hope: “I will praise Thee upon the harp, O God, my God: why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?  Hope thou in God, for I will yet praise Him: Who is the salvation of my countenance and my God.“
2. God can turn a little into a lot. // I read that sentence on a blog and it really resonated because it’s true!
3. Scammers are everywhere! // I fell down the rabbit hole of a Youtube channel called Catfished that chronicled the stories of people who were tricked by “romance scammers.”  These slimy guys are everywhere, from Facebook to dating sites to Words with Friends.
4. I need to strengthen my “reading aloud muscle.” // I almost lost my voice by the end of the first week!
5. You can’t pour from an empty cup. // A lesson I need to learn over and over again.

FIVE GOALS FOR AUGUST REVIEWED

1. Try to blog every weekday.  I ended up writing 17 (out of the planned 23) posts.  I started off so strong, but couldn’t keep up during processing and the first week of school.  Oh well, 74% isn’t terrible!  I’ll try again next year.
2. ✔ Complete a “low buy” month.  I consider this a semi-success.  We were very intentional about every penny, but didn’t see the huge savings I had envisioned.  Maybe I was unrealistically optimistic?
3. ✔ Get some animals off the property.  We successfully got Fiona to the butcher and processed the broilers ourselves the following week.  We welcome the breathing room after such a busy season!
4. ✔ Finish as many homestead projects as possible.  My list isn’t completely checked off, but I got a big chunk of it accomplished: I finally finished moving the pile of compost to the food forest, amended garden soil, and tidied up/organized unneeded items from the animals and garden.  We are also almost finished with one of the permanent winter pig paddocks.
5. ✔ Start school!  Yes!  We’ve had a really easy transition.

FIVE GOALS FOR SEPTEMBER

1. Go on a date with my husband.
2. Follow a daily skincare routine and see if I can notice any difference.
3. Send some snail mail.
4. Try a new sourdough recipe once each week.
5. Paint the back doors.

FIVE THINGS I LOVED

1. the blueberry crumble pie I made for the 4th of July
2. hand-sewing my scrap quilt while listening to podcasts or Youtube videos (I’m like an old lady sitting by the radio, ha!)
3. excitement for the upcoming school year
4. a refreshed living room arrangement
5. a well-deserved martial art belt promotion for my son

FIVE LESSONS I LEARNED

1. It is so satisfying to enjoy the fruits of your labor. // Summer is in full swing and we’ve been enjoying so many delicious things from the garden.  We also got our first pig back from the butcher and wow, so delicious!  There really is no comparison.
2. I’m glad we’re not full-time chicken farmers. // We love raising our own food but man oh man, are we tired of moving/feeding/watering broilers, ha!  Processing day is set for mid-August and we will be so happy to be done with chicken for 2022.
3. I feel my best with intermittent fasting. // I don’t restrict myself severely and even have a sweet treat here and there, but just paring down the eating window really helps.
4. Comparison is the thief of joy. // Blame it on my exhaustion from six months of constant work, but I fell into the comparison trap after hearing about a friend’s carefree, successful, monetarily abundant life.  I’m generally at peace with where I am in life, but that conversation sent me on a spiral of “What am I doing wrong?” questioning before I quickly pulled myself out of that destructive thought process.  Our lives are not the same and that’s okay.  I need to be okay staying in my own lane.
5. There is an eating disorder related to the “clean eating” movement. // I watched this older video about orthorexia nervosa, a fixation on “clean living” which can spiral into other eating disorders.  Apparently, it is on the rise due to social media influencers.  So sad.

FIVE GOALS FOR AUGUST

1. Try to blog every weekday.  I’ve wanted to try a “Write 30 Days” challenge all year and every month felt too full. August won’t be any different, but I’m going for it anyway!
2. Complete a “low buy” month.  
3. Get some animals off the property.  Fiona will be headed to the pig processor and we’ll be processing broilers 2.0.  We’ll welcome the break.
4. Finish as many homestead projects as possible.  So many half-finished projects!  I’d like to sow the seeds for the fall garden, continue laying woodchips and compost in the food forest, and construct the permanent pig shelter.
5. Start school!