Tuesday afternoon ramblings.....

The cold weather subsided after our snowy day.  We have had some cold mornings down in the 30's but thankful for the milder daytime temperatures!  The above picture was my run yesterday morning. It had rained all day Sunday and yesterday it was clearing out.  Of course, it looked more beautiful in person!

My schedule has been so busy and I'm wondering if it will ever slow down.  McKenzie and Daniel finally got moved into their new home.  That is a huge relief! 

This was my day yesterday.....
Woke up and made smoothies for everyone and lunches for my two guys that had to leave for work,  threw a load of laundry in, and mopped the floors.  Once everyone was moving I darted out the door and ran a ten miler. I got back and Madeline (God bless that girl's soul!  She is my right arm!) had finished math with Myles and was working on science with Malachi and Myles.  I showered, started another load of laundry, scheduled an appointment, balanced our check book, and then fixed lunch for the boys.  After that I graded Malachi's geography and did Language Arts with Myles.  It was almost time to get Mariah to piano lessons so I rushed to bake a pie for a neighbor that lost her husband last week. As I turned to pull the sugar from the cupboard my eggs rolled off the counter and hit the floor.  Grrrrr..... McKenzie brought Elizabeth over for me to keep while she took Elliott to the doctor for a check up.  I took Myles and Elizabeth with me to town because Madeline had to leave to go teach piano (at a different music school than Mariah.) Malachi stays home alone for short periods and I let him keep Mac for me.  I let Myles and Elizabeth play on the playground while Mariah was at piano.  While they played, my phone went off over and over again.  (Sometimes I miss the days of no cell phones!)  When she finished we raced back to our little town to meet McKenzie to pass Elizabeth off.  I ran into Walmart because my dad needed some things.  Left there and went to the feed store because we were out of goat feed. Raced to the music school where Madeline teaches and passed the feed and Myles off to her! She took him home and got supper on the table. (Oh, I forgot.  I also threw dinner in the crockpot that morning!)  I was still in town with Mariah because she had auditions at the local theater.  She needed to eat supper so we stopped at Chick fil A and ate.  We left there and a friend called that I really needed to talk to. I talked to her while waiting for auditions to start.  After about two hours we finally left and swung by my dad's to drop his stuff off.  Ran into Publix to grab a few cold things for our household and then headed home.  I jumped in the shower and threw on my pajamas.  We had family worship with the older kids and then I was ready for bed!  The kids all knew I had been stressed and asked if I had used my oils that the naturopath told me to use.  I told them I hadn't had TIME to think about that!  I slapped on some oils and went. to. bed!!!

So, I know moms everywhere stay busy!  I know life is very stressful for a lot of people!  I can't eliminate my family.... so what do I do?  I run every single morning.  I eat well. I only have one social media account and I am staying off of it a lot more. (That is a post in itself!  SM is such a waste of time!)  I try to get a decent nights sleep. But life happens!  What are some things you do to help eliminate stress?

Well, I am not going to go back and proof read any of this!  I don't have time! :)  I have no idea who even reads my posts, but I enjoy rambling on here and love storing memories of my family!

I am off to violin lessons this afternoon!

~Until next time......

Snowy day

So here in the "sunny" south we had a little snow this week!  We have had a colder than normal winter for this area.  I run in the mornings and I have actually gotten use to running in the 20's and it feels "warm" when it's in the 30's!  I am o-v-e-r it!!!  Itchy skin, chapped lips,  cooped up.... I just don't like winter.  However, if it is going to be cold we may as well have a little snow!

 

 When I got up at 6:30 it was starting to spit just a little bit of flurries.  The boys got up around 7:00 screaming, "It's a blizzard!"  They were so excited!

Two in their jammies and one in shorts! :)

It was a slow pace with everyone home together including daddy!  Matthew was the only one that had to report to work. :)

 

 

Breakfast while watching the snow fall....

 

 

Mariah is the morning milker. The kids rarely complain about their animal chores.

 

                                     Starting to look a little "white-ish"!

 

Barnabas was not a fan.

 

By ten o'clock it was about finished.  We didn't even get an inch but it was enough for these "Georgia kids" to have some fun... and for their mama to pine away for spring a little bit more.

I grew up in the north and my kids just don't understand why I don't like winter.  I told them I chose to live in the south for a reason! :)

 

We did school but by the late afternoon we were all a little stir-crazy!  Marc took the boys for a walk and  even though it never hit 30 degrees the sun had melted much of the snow.

 

Mac is not a fan of cold weather.  He is a lot like me and prefers to be outside.... and warm!

I fixed a big pot of potato soup! I rarely fix it because..... white potatoes :)  but Marc loves it.  Funny that the younger boys weren't crazy about it.   What is there not to like about a hot bowl of potato soup full of cheese and sour cream? :)

 

Well, that pretty much sums up our "snow day of 2018"!  I will not be surprised if we have another one before the winter is over.  It's just been that cold this year!  However. for today.... I will bask in the fact that this weekend and next week is supposed to be in the 60's!  Now THAT is weather worth rejoicing about!

Maintaining minimalism...

I know I have mentioned it on here many times.  I have never been a packrat, however when you have a family of 9 in a house for over a decade there will be "stuff".  Also, when my mom died almost six years ago the clearing out of her home gradually caused my own to have more.  It has been a process but I finally feel like I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

 

I didn't just want to just "clean up" or clear out things only for it to build back up again.  I still have a ways to go in the clothing department (good grief!  My kids have way too many clothes!), but a lot of our house is pretty clear now!

 

This room has served as our gated off play room the entire time we have lived here.  It was necessary with three baby boys born in the last decade!  However, the "baby" is four years old and I really wanted to use our dining room for.... dining! :)

This room is off limits for toys.  It also has to be clear/cleaned daily so it never really gets dirty!  It is my "happy spot". :)  It certainly isn't fancy... I definitely am not into fancy, but it is stuff that makes me happy!

The above wall is a New Orleans plate from where my dad went to seminary and the alma mater is framed next to it.  It brings me joy!  It is clean, simple, and  family history!

I have gotten rid of/sold most of my decorations and lamps.  I have bought a few new things but haven't replaced everything.  That is the best way to simplify!  Don't replace things you get rid of when you are still trying to "minimize".

This hutch was my grandma's.  It used to be dark brown. (I think I posted a while back the before and after pics.)  I have china from my wedding that I have never used.  I would love to sell it!  I'm just not into  formal things.  It is taking up much of the bottom section and I would love to free up the space for something else.  The things in my hutch are things that I love, have meaning, and we actually take them out and use them.. all the time! They don't show in the pictures, but the right hand side are cake plates! I love cake plates!

 

Another big "no no" when you are trying to be a minimalist is sticking things places. The top of the hutch would be an easy spot to stash things  but I try to deal with things immediately.  Again, I only keep meaningful things and things that I love!

 

Last night I went to town with Madeline.  Our schedule has been so hectic lately and she had been asking me to go to Panera with her sometime. We slipped off and while we were out we went into Hobby Lobby.  Their Valentine stuff was 40% off so I got three new things.  My justification.... I dropped a box of stuff off to donate while we were out.  I try to always take something out if I bring something in.  I cleaned off my dresser yesterday too. I decided I no longer liked the things that were on it.  My bedroom is going to go through some necessary changes soon and I hope to declutter/change the look in there when we renovate.  Lots of things are changing in our home and family this year!  I will write more later!!

~Until next time.....

Winter happenings...

Well, we are well into the new year.  I intended to write a new year's post but that hasn't happened. I was pondering if I had any goals for the new year that I wanted to work on.  I am a perfectionist so in my mind if I am not going to really try to work on a new goal, I'd rather not even make one.  Sounds lame.... but that is just the way I think. :)

 

I recently took the boys to the puppet museum in Atlanta.  It was well worth the drive!  They enjoyed the museum and crafts, but the puppet show was SO well done!

So, back to my new year's goals.  I always want to add a different kind of exercise.  I have been a pretty serious runner (I average about 58-62 miles a week.) for the past two decades!  I really need to "trick" my body by switching it up some.  I just love running!  I would like to start doing some kettle bells and other weights this year. 

The retro televisions were pretty funny to see!  Comparing them to the sleek televisions of today.  It is funny to think about my grandparents with their huge floor television and how the repairman would come work on it.  Now we just throw them in the trash. :(

 

The boys love to eat at the Varsity whenever we happen to be in downtown Atlanta! 

 

This was the actual Big Bird that was used in the 70's when I would've been watching.  Pretty funny!

 

Back to my goals.... I always try to make it a goal to drink more water. It is so much easier in the warmer months!  I do not enjoy winter.... at all!  We have had some colder than usual weather for where we live. We are in a little bit of a warmer spell right now but cold is coming again this weekend. I could hibernate until spring!

 

 

The above picture was another day when I took the two youngest to their first ever movie at the theater!  We went to see "Ferdinand". Macheus got the book for Christmas.  The movie was cute.  Of course, Hollywood can't produce anything without a bit of stupidity.  There were just a few things but they went over their heads.

 

Mariah got her permit last week!  She was so nervous but she passed it the first time!  Now the fun begins.  She won't be getting a license at 16 (We make our kids practice, practice, practice!!! but it has paid off!)  The oldest three have never had an accident.  The roads are so scary with so many distracted drivers!  Hopefully, Marc will do most of the practicing with her. I do not do well, and the kids would much prefer their daddy teach them.

 

Colder weather  mixed with rain means more inside time with the boys!  Not fun!!!  We have been trying to keep them busy. No better way than to make them do some cleaning!

My other goals for the new year are to be more diligent with consistent Bible reading. That is so hard for me!  There are always distractions and I have such a hard time focusing.  I also want to have a  more organized routine at home.  It was so much easier when everyone was younger and we were all doing the same thing. I now have a grown daughter with grandbabies in and out, college age kiddos that work and you never know what they are going to be doing, Mariah is taking two different instruments this year.... just so many things keeping my life hectic!  I miss the simplicity of the past.  But here we are... this is the life I have now and I need to adjust.  I try to be more flexible but that doesn't come easy for me. I like routine and order!  Cleaning out and going the extra mile towards "minimalism" has helped a lot.  We have hauled off, thrown away and sold a ton of stuff!  I look around and honestly don't know how it all fit into the house.  Our attic is for the most part done, closets are better.  The boys still have too many clothes. I'm trying to buy less and sell what we don't need. It is a work in progress. I will post some pictures of things we have done another day.

Well, I better go get busy!

~Until next time.....

Happy Birthday, Mariah!

New Year's day fifteen years ago this girl was born!  She was arrived shortly after midnight and was the first baby born at that hospital and the second in the county!  She made the front page of the local newspaper. :)

 

 

For her birthday this year, she wanted to go ice skating with her siblings and some friends from church.  We have had some cold weather so the mood was just right! :) (It is obviously an indoor rink.  We typically do not have freezing weather consistently!)

 

For southern kids that don't ice skate very often, I thought they did pretty well! :)

I was glad that Matthew was off work and was able to go with us.

 

 

Her favorite place to eat lately has been Freddy's!  So that is where we headed next!

 

 

The annual crown picture!  She has had her picture taken with it since birth!

 

Chocolate sheet cake for dessert!  It turned out very ugly because my pan was warped (note to self... order new stone!) but it tasted good!

                                                     Opening up her presents!

Boots!  I am amazed how fast my kids go through boots! 

 

Goofing off on snapchat. :)

 

Mariah has brought much joy to our family.  She is my organizer and "get it done girl"! I pray this next year is one of many blessings for her!

"Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers." Psalm 1:1-3