The Importance of Having a Daily Schedule

It’s been one of those weeks. Actually, it’s been one of those years, hasn’t it?

Those were the exact words our case worker and I said when we did our weekly FaceTime meeting today, after missing it for four days in a row (coordinating schedules is difficult!). We’ve been going nonstop for the last four-five months but for some reason, this week slowed down for us, and we had a few days of down time, and friends…it felt so so so good.

We caught up on TV, PJ has been working every day at our flip house, and we’ve been going out to the land nonstop to let the kiddos run around, though, it’s been so cold lately that that last one has been a little tricky: sis doesn’t like the cold one bit and every time we say we’re going to the land lately, she says “Iont wanna toe wiand” (which basically translates into “I don’t wanna go to the land”) while violently shaking her hand in the air. It’s hard being three!!

The weather has been so awful lately (sending love to those of you in Texas!), so older brother’s school has been out this week, and for some reason, it’s thrown me off our schedule. I’ve found I like the structure that daily tasks bring: school for older brother in the morning, cleaning the kitchen and picking up the house while glancing every now and then at the morning talk shows, sending emails and feeding the dogs, etc. It feels good to be productive, and having a schedule (especially when you work from home and control your own) is essential for me to get things done. Do you know what I mean?

This was kind of a random thought-dump of a post, so kudos to you for making it this far. Hope you had a great week, friends, and happy Friday!! xoxo

PS: please click here to help those in Texas, if you can.

From a Child’s Perspective

This morning during breakfast, while PJ was flipping through the new issue of Architectural Digest that came in yesterday, little brother asked him (in a very serious, curious tone) what he was “looking for”. I found that so funny because what, to me, looked like PJ just browsing and enjoying the new issue of AD, to little brother, looked as if he was looking for something specific, like he was on a mission to find something that was missing. How cute is that?

Little things like that happen every day and they always crack me up, so I wanted to document it here! I love hearing their hilarious (and to be honest, sometimes frustratingly repetitive 😂) questions every day. A child’s perspective is always such a breath of fresh air, isn’t it?

Happy Monday!!

We’re working late tonight (when the kids go to bed, that’s our prime time to shoot campaigns we’re working on and/or write captions, blogs, emails, etc.), but wanted to pop in and say happy Monday to you!

It was sunny and warm today, so we drove out to the land and let the kids get extremely muddy. We got McDonald’s to go for dinner and ate it while watching Netflix in the living room at Holiday House and it was total bliss. Fast food and TV: ever heard of a healthier combination? 😂

Hope you had a good one, friend!! xo

PS: so inspiring

The Sky Tonight

I looked out the window tonight and the sky just about took my breath away. I have been getting into sunsets and sunrises the last few years (is there anything more beautiful?) and tonight’s sky stopped me in my tracks. It felt all-encompassing, like if I didn’t stop and take notice it might explode. So naturally, I did what anyone would do and climbed to the roof and took pictures.

What a gorgeous start to the weekend. Hope you have a good one, friends!!

What Would I Do Without Him?

I’ve been out of commission the last week since hurting my back, so PJ has taken over pretty much all of the work regarding the kids and the house and the animals. Not only that, but he’s been taking care of me and helping my back to feel better. The other day he ran a hot bath with a CBD bath bomb in it and it alleviated so much of my pain! He always has a way of knowing what to do when someone is sick or doesn’t feel well, and we all know how handy PJ is, but that might just be one of the things that comes in handy the most, especially with three kids. 

I haven’t been the easiest to deal with during this whole ordeal (is there anything harder that trying to be nice and positive and caring when you’re in pain?), so PJ has had to put up with that on top of handling everything else. But like most (okay, all) things, he tackles it head-on and gets the job done. It’s early in the morning and freezing cold outside while I write this, but I am feeling warm and safe and so incredibly grateful for PJ inside.

I came to this realization many years ago, but life would be a lot more painful (in more ways than one) without him. 

Confession: I'm Not Ready For Winter to End This Year

Can I just say this: I love winter, and I’m not ready for it to end. I’m not ready for spring and warmer weather and nice, cool breezes just yet. I love cold weather. I love fall and winter and being warm and cozy in a big, oversized sweater inside while the frigid air blows and dances outside. I love breathing in the fresh air and feeling a sense of renewal and peace.

Maybe it’s the homebody in me, but staying home and staying in this past year wasn’t as hard for me as I feel like it might have been for others, even during the cold, dark winter months. I enjoy being home with my family more than anywhere else in the world. It’s my safe place, my fortress, and as older brother calls it, our HQ. It’s where the crazy busy and the crazy mundane things happen; it’s where we cook and bake and watch movies and start books we’re never going to finish and run around and jump on the furniture and play with our animals and rearrange rooms. It’s where our family does life every day and I can’t imagine doing it anywhere else.

It was unseasonably warm last week (low 60’s!) and I did not like it. one. bit. The kids, however, loved it, because it meant they could play in the mountain runoff on our land that flows when it rains a lot. As a parent, though, it brought me joy to see them splash and run and have so much fun, especially since we’ve all been cooped up inside the last few months. For their sakes, I was grateful for the warm day on the land.

For me, there are feelings of warmth and security that winter brings, which is somewhat ironic considering it’s so dark and cold during these months. But I think that’s precisely the whole point: it’s unbearable outside, so it forces you to hibernate and hunker down inside (which sounds miserable for some, I know.) I know I’m probably in the minority with my love and admiration this season. It seems most people in Tennessee love hot weather and despise the winter months, but ever since I was little, I’ve always been so much more drawn to the cold.

Also, breaking news! I think I've officially converted PJ into a winter person. For the longest time, even up until last year, he has always wanted a house in Florida, a place close to the ocean to enjoy the summer months. But after spending more time on the land this past year, with no shade or water in sight, and temps regularly getting into the 100’s, he has decided he doesn’t want to live anywhere closer to the equator than where we are now. I love the beach, too, but I could absolutely 100% live in New England for the rest of our life and be in complete bliss. Give me alllll the snow!

Do you know what I mean when I describe how much I love this season? It’s like the overall feel of Taylor Swift’s Folklore and Evermore: cozy, comfortable, warm, peaceful. Do you like winter as much as I do? Or are you more of a warmer months kind of person?

Stay warm, friends! xoxo

Down for the Count

Oh friends. Remember when I talked about how parenting (in general) is not for the faint of heart? Well it turns out that parenting when you don’t feel your best is even harder. PJ had a migraine for 24 hours this weekend and my back was killing me. I’ve had back issues for years (we both have, actually) and, unfortunately, this weekend I did something to my lower back that is making it hard to even stand right now. Luckily PJ’s migraine went away, so he has taken lead with the kids and cooking for the last few days.

When you don’t feel good, all you want to do is curl up on the couch and watch TV, but my back is making it hard to get comfortable standing or sitting, so even doing that is not much of a relief. We have a busy week of projects and appointments for the kiddos next week, so here’s hoping this strain doesn’t last long! xx

PS: new YouTube video