A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this moment.
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 1+ hour (of 1000)
We got our first real snow this week! Which made the kids all happy, but also meant frozen farm water which is extra work for the week (bleh). I mostly snagged my hours from farm chores and visits with friends who were dropping of their Christmas trees for our goats! Kids are snagging all kind of time sledding, so they already pulled way out ahead of me in hours clocked for the year (at least 2-3 hours ahead of me already!) The kids also did their annual Undies run outside (#countrykids) where they run a loop around our stone garden out back with nothing on - no shoes even!- but their undies. They come in half laughing/half crying and it will for sure be a core memory of their childhoods.
Reading and finishing Wonder by RJ Palacio. So stinking close to include it in my 2021 reading list, but alas - I already finished a book in 2022 already only one day in, hah! Then the kids and I all watched the movie together on New Years Day too. I am also reading Free to Learn by Peter Gray which is so good and a book I found through my 1000 Hours Outside facebook group. If you are hoping to learn more about free and risky play and how that can help raise up better, stronger, happier kids - please check this book out!
Fbook/Insta detox check in: week 1 and I'm feeling incredible. Gosh, what a relief it feels like to not scroll. Maybe I'm just feeling the honeymoon phase, but it really feels like a burden has been lifted from my days and I do not miss it AT ALL.
Just smiling and enjoying this fresh beautiful, full of possibilities planner for 2022. I am a freaking sucker for all things office supplies - but top of the list is my planner.
Accepting graciously Christmas trees for the goaties. Thank you to the families who brought their trees for our girls (the Stephens family, the Shellhammers, the Valentines, the Dails, and the Lasures)
Chasing goats off the patio, as they have been spending all their days (and even some nights!) up on our patio. They are eating all my shrubs and English Ivy, pooping everywhere, and staring in at us from the sliding glass doors. The kids and I have a filled water gun sitting by the doors to spray them when we see them hanging out up here, or we let Bullet out to herd them - but they have been relentless. It wasn't until finally it snowed that they headed back down to their house to hide out. THANK GOODNESS.
Listening to the We Can Do Hard Things podcast episode with Kate Bowler and it was so wonderfully beautiful - I even promptly then went and bought Kate Bowler's book Everything Happens for a Reason. Thank you for sharing Kitty! I also listened to this week's 1000 Hours Outside podcast episode with Teacher Tom and my mind is buzzing with ideas about a cooperative farm school. If you are looking to add podcasts to listen to - both of these are great options.
Loving all the sister bonding going on over here. Gem and Violet have been very close the last few weeks and I love seeing their sweetness together (makes me think of my sisters, scf!) They make up dance routines, play babies & barbies together, and have been sleeping in the same bed for several nights in a row because they read books together and giggle before falling asleep. They (and I) are so lucky - there is not much better than sisterhood.
Sliming down our monthly bills. After being home now for almost half the school year; we've made it to the point that we are starting to feel the financial pressure. So we took a hard look at our monthly bills and are making some serious cuts. Lots of things were easy choices: Green Chef, Stitchfix for B, Prime Wardrobe for me. We even made the jump to cancel our cable which everyone we have talked to says they didn't regret doing it. We are looking at our cell phone plans next! Happy to take any other suggestions that you might have!
Working out with Grow with Jo. I just love her and she makes me feel happy and motivated to get up and move. Most days I have at least one family member doing her video with me, we all love Jo!
Closing out the holiday season with Orthodox Christmas. As is tradition, the kids slept under the Christmas tree (the last of our decorations to come down) and received one gift from 'Orthodox Santa' which were sleds - arriving perfectly in time for our first big snow!
Starting our winter puzzle. For the past three years, we have opened up a 1000 piece puzzle on our dining room and completed it slow and steady as a family. This year we got the Cozy Cabin puzzle and got started on our winter family challenge on Saturday night. The three oldest kids are super invested, Rust has even got a few pieces, but it still pretty challenging for him to figure out if something actually fits together. Red has to be monitored constantly because he likes to put the pieces in his mouth (ie. ruin them) and Liv is clueless that we are even doing it - hah. In the past years, we completed Mountain Paradise and Canoe Lake!
Reminiscing while watching Brandon's old game film with the kids. Gosh, I love that teenage boy's face (and by teenage boy - I mean my 20 year younger husband with the handsome face and kindhearted eyes that he still has today). Gosh, seems like yesterday and also a lifetime ago.
Sporting in basketball mode. Gemma and Violet each had one practice. Grey had two basketball practices and one night of lifting. Gem had a basketball game and both Grey and Violet's seasons start next week.
Making homemade pizza with the help of Rust & Vi, chicken tacos, pineapple meatballs over rice, KFC chicken bowls, and sheet pan kielbasa with fingerling potatoes, brussels sprouts, and broccoli. We also had haluski on Orthodox Christmas and on New Years day, Brandon made crab legs and shrimp. I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip muffin tops and some peanut butter cookies too. With leftover pizza dough, I made a batch of cinnamon rolls which naturally called for my grandma Helen's boiled icing, so I mad some of that too (Reddy was happy to lick all the mixers for me).
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