Author: Kathleen

around here

This feels like the longest week ever, anyone else? For me, combine hormones (ahem) with the constant rain & storms, this sick child who has had a fever for almost two weeks, plus two other stressful & emotional things I can tell you more about soon, and I am just ready for some sunshine, rest, and good news.

I’m waving my white flag where the blog is concerned, and I will be back next week or the week after. In the meantime, find me on Instagram and send some prayers our way! Thanks friends, have a lovely weekend!

March 10, 2016
non-candy easter basket ideas

Did you know that Lent is already halfway over? My spending freeze is going pretty well (only a few small infractions, mostly kid-related) and my new daily practice of reading the Bible every day has been wonderful, thanks to an app with a reading plan + devotional that I love.

Currently, I’m not sure how I’m going to handle Easter with my kiddos. I’m vacillating between staying strict on the spending freeze to include not making extra purchases for them, and another of my goals for this year which is to celebrate more holidays at home, especially relating to the church calendar.

Of course we do celebrate Easter already – we go to church and do an egg hunt there and with the cousins, as well as having an extended family meal – but I also like the idea of having a special breakfast at home with small baskets ready for them to discover a few well-chosen gifts inside. So while I don’t know yet if I’ll be making any extra purchases this year, I’ve put together some ideas for you of the kinds of things I’m thinking of for this spring celebration.

1 – The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers – My mom got this for Meredith for Christmas and it’s so perfect for her age. Each devotion has a cute picture, a short and sweet message, a Bible verse, and prayer. I highly recommend it, especially if you want to give a gift that has a spiritual focus.

2 – Wildly Co. clothing – A good excuse to buy a piece of ethically-made, classic clothing for spring!

3 – Rain boots – As we enter the rainy season it’s a good idea to get a new pair of these. Tip: stalk ThredUp for the best deal.

4 – Crayola Sidewalk Chalk – This stuff is the best, and Easter is a perfect time to refresh your stash.

5 – Mini Madre Beads – Meredith wants all of these, but especially the unicorn one. ;)

6 – Resurrection eggs – Are these a little cheesy? Yes. But they tell the story of Jesus and would be a fun activity for the kids to do as well as filling up their baskets.

7 – Potted plant – One idea is to help them plant it, or just let them take care of it. And I like the idea of doing an aloe vera plant, because it has healing properties (so you could tie it in to a mini-lesson about Jesus being our healer). They are also very hardy, so bonus!

8 – Stamps – My kids really don’t get tired of these cheap little stamps. And they are so cute.

I’d love to know what you’re planning on doing for your kids for Easter. Or how did you celebrate growing up? My parents didn’t buy us non-candy stuff every year, but I remember being so pleased whenever those extra treats did show up.

March 7, 2016
link roundup / 48

Indoor gardening with kids. This year I really want to bring more plants inside and I know my kids will love helping with them. (see above photo)

Thanks to Brooke I found this post about the big stuff you don’t know before becoming a parent.

This is a genius tip for rewarding yourself when you’re trying to solidify a healthy habit.

I love this idea for snacking and am totally going to try it.

The 2016 Week in the Life kit is up for presale now! I’m so out of the papercrafting habit (been loving Chatbooks still) but I’m excited to tackle this project again in early May and I plan to use the kit.

Here are some natural beauty favorites that I want to try.

I’m interested in hosting more small get-togethers with friends, and I think this stress-relieving salt scrub would be a fun thing to make together.

LOL.

I love chipotle ranch dressing. I’ve made it myself once before and want to try again with this recipe.

March 4, 2016
things i love lately

Before I went on my spending freeze for Lent, I acquired a few new things that I’m really loving, so today I want to share those with you, if you’re curious!

Banana Republic Margeaux sunglasses – I had a gift card to BR but none of the clothes were fitting me right. On a whim I tried on these sunglasses and they fit me perfectly. I have a hard time finding sunglasses that aren’t too tight or too loose, and that don’t leave marks on my nose. These feel great and look classic.

Threshold percale sheet set – I am so glad I discovered percale sheets. They are crisp and cool (a big deal if you live in Houston) but at the same time soft and cozy. In my experience (we have this same set in the kids’ room in the blue dots) they stay brighter and cleaner longer. This set found at Target is super affordable, too.

Threshold basket – Another Target find that I almost bought several times before I finally pulled the trigger. We’ve been using it for dirty towels in our bedroom and it looks pretty doing that job. :)

Banana Republic cubic zirconia round stud earring – These are the perfect everyday earrings. I love wearing studs, and these feel really solid, not like you might lose the backing to them at any moment (not that that’s happened to me with, oh, every other pair of earrings I’ve owned). I chose cubic zirconia because they go with silver or gold jewelry, and I think they make even my scrubs look a little classier. ;)

Soma vanishing edge underwear – This is possibly awkward, but these underwear are amazing and I can’t not share with you. They are soft, comfy, and stay in place due to a plastic lining on the edge. I bought eight – half in black, half in nude – and I’m good to go.

Margaret M Emer high waisted trousers – I don’t have a photo or a direct link to these because I got them through Stitch Fix. The link here goes to the Google page where you can see a ton of pictures and reviews. I don’t have an office job and I don’t get dressed up much, but these can be dressed down easily and they are perfect on the days where I have meetings.

I’d love to hear what you’re loving lately!

March 2, 2016
what i read : february 2016

I might not have read a ton of books this month, but all three that I did manage to read were wonderful in their own way. One narrative nonfiction, one classic, one literary fiction. A perfect reading month for me!

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown – The subtitle is Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and what a story. I listened to this amazing narration by Edward Hermann, and for the first half I didn’t get any extended listening time so it was harder to get into. But then I got a good few chunks of time to listen and I was utterly absorbed. I’m not sure there is anything I enjoy more than a story of victory over adversity. Of course I cried. And I can’t tell you how happy it made me that these boys all remained friends the rest of their lives and rowed together every ten years. (5 stars, audiobook)

Les Miserables [Abridged] by Victor Hugo – This classic doesn’t need much endorsement from me, but I’ll still give it. Prior to reading this, I had only seen the musical. I’m glad I settled on the abridged version (which still wasn’t short, mind you) because I think that overall it told a stronger story. Jean Valjean now joins my list of all-time favorite characters. (5 stars)

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett -Here is a character-driven, beautifully tragic story that was practically written for me. Since it had been recommended many times over I expected to like it, but I didn’t expect to find an entire world within a mansion where terrorists and hostages became friends, and that I’d want to keep living in that world. It was full of the bittersweet juxtapositions that make up life and humanity. Giving it all the heart eyes. (5 stars)

February 29, 2016