Hello, February! Here are five things to share with you.

What did you do over the weekend? We spent a lot of time at home (hey, what’s new?). One morning we woke to a fresh layer of snow, it was quite the delight. The kids looooove when it snows, and any time the wind blew snow off the roof they all shrieked, “it’s a snow storm!”. Saturday night, after a long day working on a project, my friend Allie came over and we walked my neighborhood. With hot tea in hand, we walked over three miles. It felt so good to breathe in the cold winter air and talk. Have you noticed winter air has a specific scent? I would describe it as smokey & spicy. In addition to welcoming a new month, here are five things I wanted to share with you…

WRITING //

I spent a good portion of Saturday working on a large writing project. After a shower and a cup of coffee, I locked myself in our bedroom (which has two huge monstera plants) and I wrote and wrote and wrote on blank white paper. My time alone was so fruitful (hooray! hooray!). I like to listen to instrumental music while I write, and every couple of hours of work I put my pen down and picked up a book to read.

READING //

This leads to my next share. I finished Becoming Elisabeth Elliot, and it was a fantastic biography. Have you read it? I’ve now finished reading three books this year (here is my list of what I hope to read in 2021). Next up: The Dutch House. I’m on chapter three, and it’s proving excellent so far.

MEALS //

Let’s talk about serving dinner. How is your meal planning coming along? Are you consistent? Do you enjoy this weekly task, or do you dread it? Here is my plan for the week, including a couple of snacks I want to be intentional about serving the kiddos.

dinner:

zuppa toscana (similar; I substitute cauliflower for potato) & salad

frittata (with sausage, onion, kale) & apple/pear crisp

IP crispy carnitas with cheese quesadillas, bell peppers, and toppings & salad

cozy autumn wild rice soup & grain-free biscuits

snacks:

no bake energy bites

stovetop popcorn

apples & peanut butter

hunters sausage, cheese, dried fruit, cashews

Here is a cookbook I frequently cook from (lots of Instant Pot recipes). Do you have this one? It’s great for our family because it’s low sugar and low carb, and the IP recipes are easy to prepare. Preparing healthy meals that don’t take a lot of time, nor make a huge mess, are hard to come by! One bummer, in regards to cooking, is a meal I made last week (from a different cookbook) was a total flop (IMO). I was so frustrated, ha!

A PRAYER //

Inhale. Today, we begin a brand new month. (Hello, February!) Exhale. Today, as we continue to serve our families, may we work with a joyful spirit, offering our very best unto the Lord. May we feel inspired with our lives and see them as beautiful, encouraged to seek creativity, and eager to learn & grow alongside one another. Amen.

HOMESCHOOL //

Here’s a snapshot of me homeschooling Maxwell (second grade) and Natalie (first grade). I can’t sing enough praises for how much our family enjoys this slower lifestyle. Years ago, while we were still living in Los Angeles, I considered homeschooling because I couldn’t fathom sending my young son to a nearby public school. The city felt so big, and he so small. Shortly after we moved to Michigan our third child was born, another daughter. The thought of getting three children (ages three and under) out of the house for Preschool, then bringing two back home only to leave again after a couple of hours, felt dreadful. When are children to be children when they have such busy schedules?

Now that we have four children I can’t imagine not homeschooling them, though for different reasons. I absolutely enjoy being around them all day. I love hearing them play together, learn together, teach one another. It is such a natural lifestyle for us. Alas, we love homeschooling.

What do you think?

xx, Maggie