I feel like time is flying by. I’m submerged in homeschool schedules, blogging schedules, appointments, and extra-curricular activities. I’ve also been busy writing content to help The Deliberate Mom grow and flourish. In the midst of this activity, it’s been a while since I’ve shared what’s going on when the laptop is closed and “real” life is around me.
So here’s some good old fashioned blogging (I love it when Tamara shares these kinds of posts so I’m following in her footsteps).
Loving
Every day I wake up and I’m completely enchanted by my family. Even though the girls have been fighting often, there are moments when they shock and astound me. I love my girls and my husband so much… they make every day a beautiful adventure.
Listening
I recently took the girls out for dinner and The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby and the Range was playing on the radio. I was instantly transported back to my childhood. Memories of my mom blasting this song and driving around with the sunroof down filled my brain. I think I need to make a summer playlist and include this song on it.
A side note… maybe it’s just me but I think Bruce Hornsby and Jason Segel look like they could be related!
Cooking
I recently stumbled across a homemade chocolate recipe on Pinterest. I couldn’t shake the thought of homemade chocolate, so I made a batch of these chocolate bars! There’s no cooking involved and they literally took 5 minutes to make and then a couple hours to set.
They were simply amazing! I added maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to mine. I can’t even begin to describe how delicious they were! I bought Easter candy molds so that I can make Easter chocolates for my girls this year.
Reading
Yikes this one is embarrassing. Other than my Bible and The Story (which is the novelized version of the Bible), I haven’t been reading anything. Shame, shame, shame! To make matters worse, I have a stack of books on my bedside table which I desperately want to read.
Creating
Lately I’ve been feeling creative.
I’ve been writing… a lot. Blog posts, freelance articles, book outlines, and even poems! Plus I’ve gotten back into the groove of painting.
Organizing
I recently purchased a Passion Planner. I found out about this little gem from my dear friend Laura over at Essaie. She shared a picture of her planner on Instagram and within a few days I ordered mine.
This planner is phenomenal! It’s a goal-setting document, calendar, and day timer, all in one. Organization of my life and goals are wrapped up in a beautiful little package… perfect for this Type-A gal!
Enjoying
I have been participating in the #LentChallenge which is hosted by Margaret Feinberg. The challenge has me reading through the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I’m enjoying this submersion into the gospels and it’s the perfect heart, mind, and soul preparation for Easter.
Playing
My hubby and I have been playing some epic board games lately. Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are some of our favourites around here.
Watching
We just finished watching season 5 of Downton Abbey *sobs*. We’ve now returned to our regular Netflix shows of Veronica Mars and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
We’re also watching this current season of Survivor. So far I’m not cheering for any of the contestants… I hate it when that happens. Hopefully someone “grows” on me because it’s nice to have someone to cheer for.
Praying
At the end of this month my daughter has another dairy allergy challenge test. The last test ended with her vomiting with just half an hour left of the test. We were so disappointed.
I pray she’s healed from her allergy. Anaphylaxis is terrifying and I’m tired of being slaves to it. I want freedom for her. I want her to be able to eat any food she desires. I want to be able to take my little girl for ice cream. I want her to be a kid free from concerns about dying from ingesting milk.
Hoping
I’m ready for spring. What about you? We’ve been loving the warm weather and we’ve been going on community walks every day. I’m hoping for more sunshine and warm weather.
Needing
I desperately need my dishwasher to be fixed. It’s not in the financial forecast right now but I’m done with the nostalgia of hand-washing dishes. I want to go back to the days of loading and unloading a dishwasher.
Awaiting
I’m eagerly awaiting date night tonight! It’s been a while and I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with my hubby.
Feeling
I feel so thankful. It’s so easy to get stuck in the rut of looking at our lives and saying “if only…” or “I’ll be happy when…” but lately I’ve been feeling so grateful for the quirky, full, and beautiful life that I’ve been given. Even in the midst of struggles or frustrations, I wouldn’t ask for things to be any other way.
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
SHARE WITH OTHERS
We are having snow today believe it or not on the first day of spring, but hoping that it will warm up very soon, because I am truly spring\warmer weather dreaming now, too. Happy Friday and have a great weekend ;) xoxo
We got snow too. I’m sooooo disappointed.
Well, at least it’s the weekend! Wishing you a great one as well.
I’ve been enjoying life on this nice little cruise control stretch of motherhood too. I am so over winter and ready for spring. Hoping this snow that is falling today is the last of winter!!! Spring officially starts in a few hours. What kind of book are you working on writing??? I’m getting close to finishing my first fictional novel in almost twenty years. I love to connect with other book writers in the making.
Angela @ Stepping into Motherhood
I woke up to snow this morning… spring has not sprung *booooo*.
I’m editing the Christian fiction I wrote back in November for NaNoWriMo. I’m also working on outlines for a couple of ideas for non-fiction.
Thanks for stopping by Angela! Wishing you a lovely weekend.
I am so glad you are loving the Passion Planner, too! It has been amazing for a scatterbrain like me, too…keeps me focused!
If I lived closer, I’d give you guys this portable dishwasher that we are about to give away/sell! Our landlord just installed a built-in and now it’s just hanging out in our kitchen, feeling lonely and unused. Washing dishes by hand gets old reeeeeal fast. haha!
Loved this post. So great to hear how life is going for you!
I adore the Passion Planner. I’m so glad you shared about it because it’s everything I’ve been looking for in a planner. I adore the goal setting and determining the “deal-breakers”. Seeing everything on paper makes me think – yes my goals are achievable.
I’m so bummed about our dishwasher. It’s almost 7 years old so it’s bound to stop working right. We’re kind of desperate here… the problem is it’s not draining. So yesterday I went to Dollarama and bought some turkey basters. I figured we can still wash the dishes in there but just baste out the water. Who knew it would take just as long to drain a dishwasher manually as it does to wash the dishes by hand. *boo*
Have a great weekend Laura!
Now I’m curious – I haven’t ever heard of ‘The Story’
It’s really cool Caroline. My church has been reading it collectively since September. Every week we read a chapter and the sermon touches on the “higher” story coming out of it. It’s so good. It’s about 80% of the NIV Bible with some added text to provide clarity. They took out any duplication of scripture and put the entire text in chronological order.
I love this and loved Tamara’s as well. I might just have to do one of these myself. We’re actually enjoying Spring, we’ve had great weather the past couple of days and I’m loving it. I haven’t been very creative lately but maybe now that I’m retired I can get in a groove. Here’s to an awesome weekend!
I’m glad you enjoyed this Amanda. These are fun posts to create… little glimpses of life beyond the computer screen.
We had snow for the first day of spring. Blah!
It is always good to keep us busy on something which we are really interested. Keep going…
Yes indeed, I like to keep on being inspired (and act on those inspirations).
Loved this post lady! I still honestly cannot believe how much you get done throughout the day. Girl you are an inspiration! Yay for Downton Abbey! I’m only on season 2, but it’s so good. I just never have time to watch. And yes for you guys loving Veronica Mars! I absolutely loved that show and the movie. Kristen Bell is my fave.
Have fun on your date night tonight! Glad you and the hubs get a night out!
xoxo
Oh, don’t be fooled Tiffany… I have days when I’m completely lost and have no idea what I’m doing and I accomplish nothing. I try to be organized and intentional with my time but I’m certain if I documented my entire process people would think I’m nuts LOL.
Downton Abbey is soooo good! I’m going to miss it.
We had a lovely date night. Every time we have one, I think… we don’t do this enough!
Have a great weekend my friend!
If we were neighbors I would sit you down for some tea and scones and ask you, “how do you do it?” Just since beginning blogging, I am overwhelmed. AND, I don’t have young children at home anymore. You must drop down tired at bedtime and sleep like a baby!!! I totally get your frustration on the allergy thing. I am severely allergic to peanuts, fish and soy and I know what your baby goes through. My food has to be homecooked and dissected if I don’t know what is in it. Hang in there. On a funny note, I have never owned a dishwasher, we still after 28 years of marriage wash our dishes by hand. I had to laugh at that paragraph. Have a great weekend! Get that date with hubby!
How do you know I drop down tired?! LOL
I have a very intense and tightly planned out schedule… that’s how I get “it all” done. However, I still have days that I fritter away my time.
Sorry, but I really miss my dishwasher. At first I enjoyed washing the dishes by hand but not anymore (plus I’ve become hyper-aware of exactly how many dishes each member of the house uses). LOL
Wishing you a lovely weekend as well my friend.
We would be such good friends IRL, Jennifer :D
I LOVEEE the idea about the homemade Easter chocolate. I just made my first chocolate bar last night! I am totally going to make Easter chocolates now, thank you for the awesome idea!
Have a beautiful weekend.
xoxoxo
Sharon
I think we would be great friends too.
I just made my first batch of Easter chocolates (although I doubt they’ll make it until then)… the hubby and I have been eyeing them longingly! LOL
I hope you have a lovely weekend too!
My dishwasher was just recently replaced after 6 months of not working and it was the happiest day of the whole year for me! Now my refrigerator is sounding like a chicken, it just never ends…..
My husband and I watched Pillars of the Earth on Netflix last summer, I don’t know how well I would do with the board game (might die a lot), but hey that would make it interesting, no?
It’s funny how at first I was thinking… maybe I don’t mind washing the dishes… it’s kind of relaxing. Now I can’t stand it (and I’m a nag about how many dishes everyone uses LOL).
Pillars of the Earth is more strategic than attacking/dying. It’s an awesome game (and I loved watching the series).
I wish my husband liked playing board games! Looks like a fun way to connect! I really hope and pray that your daughter can enjoy some ice cream soon, too. What a bummer that she has this awful allergy! We have a dishwasher, but we have never used it. Can you believe it? Most days, I wish that we could set it up so that I don’t have to spend 30 minutes to an hour doing the dishes. One day…
Aww, it’s too bad your husband doesn’t like games. I love it when the hubby and I play board games… it gives us an extra way to connect.
I can’t believe you don’t use your dishwasher. Oh how I miss mine!
Hi Jennifer, I think it’s wonderful that you make time to play boardgames and have a date night with your husband. Spending quality time together is far better than spending hours together doing nothing.
I’ve never had a dishwasher…It’s true. We just don’t have the room for it, but this summer all that changes! I am determined to get one and find a place to put it as the children’s dish washing skills leave a lot to be desired and there comes a time when I have to say enough is enough….Hopefully they’ll manage to load and unload one without breaking too many dishes!
Our swallows are due back any time now and that for me is the start of spring.
We look for a variety of different ways to connect… board games is one of our favourites and we’re pretty good sports too, so it’s not like we’re battling over who won.
I really wish my dishwasher was working. How exciting that you might have one for the summer!
I haven’t been finding the time to read as much as I’d like to as of late, but I’m glad you’re writing a lot (because you’re so good at it!) and I LOVE your painting. You are very talented. Keep that up, girl.
I’m so ready for spring, too! I love that you and your hubby play board games together. We do that as a family and as a couple when the kids have gone to bed.
Praying your girl is healed of her allergies. Wouldn’t that be incredible?
Blessings to you and yours, my friend.
I’m in such a creative groove lately… it’s crazy!
I appreciate the prayers for my daughter… I can’t imagine what it would be like without anaphylaxis in our lives. I get giddy at the thought!
Blessings to you too my friend.
First of all, pinned that chocolate bar recipe! No wait, FIRST OF ALL, I love me some good old-fashioned blogging posts. I find that I love them even more from bloggers like you who don’t frequently share these types of posts. It’s a fun read to see what you’ve been up to. I love that painting you made! You are so talented! I also have a stack of books (in my Kindle) I’ve been wanting to read. I looove your planner!!! It’s so much like mine. I really love planners that provide areas for writing out the good things that are happening, I think it’s my favorite. I actually forget how many awesome things happen and I love being prompted to remember. I love that you’re enjoying and just soaking up life, it really is a grand, amazing adventure and you inspire me to do the same :) I hope your Monday started off great, friend! xo
The chocolate is so good Jessica. I tell you I’ve been making a batch every few days. Yummy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this little peek into life around here. I feel I’ve been so wound up in writing “big” stuff that I’ve left me out of things for a while. It was refreshing to pour things out like this… so to hear you enjoyed it was a relief!
Life has been so full and beautiful lately. I’m holding on to all the bits and pieces and savouring it!
I can’t believe it took me this long to get here! Ah, it’s nice to be free again.
Well I may have written you about seeing Hornsby live from the front row last year and “The Way It Is” really stirred me up! In a good way.
I love being enchanted with my family too. Sigh.
I’ve always wanted to watch Veronica Mars but I never have. I think I heard there’s also a movie or another season that either was made years later or is being made!
I’ll be thinking of your daughter a lot! Vomiting just seems so likely because of nerves and not being used to it in her system. Here’s to hoping for success for the next test!
These types of posts are some of my favorites because it feels like we’re catching up over a cup of coffee… Or wine, let’s make it wine.
I have the same problem with books, always a stack sitting there that I want to read, but it seems to take me forever to get to them! When we moved into our house last year, it was the first time I had ever had a dishwasher. They really are wonderful to have. I hope you are able to enjoy yours again soon!
I love this style of blogging, and love Tamara! The way it is always takes me back too! I wouldn’t worry too much about the reading, it sounds like you are getting really creative, which is definitely a good trade off!