I haven’t had much time to blog lately, and I want to show you some kitchens we’re working on. But today, I am taking a day off from that stuff and introduce our family instead! You probably don’t recognize the pipsqueaks in the picture above, but those are my older two! Since a lot of you are new blog followers, I thought I’d tell you a little about us.
The bigger kid above (Judah) is the same height as me now, and the smaller one (Bennett) is getting closer every day. Here’s what they look like as of this spring (and for context, Judah is 5’7″):
A lot has changed in just a few years! I can’t show a pic of the older two without one of the little guy, so here goes:
The guy on the bugle is Deacon. Now you’ll see him looking snazzy, either like this:
or like this:
He dressed himself in both scenarios, just FYI. We also have two kitties, who used to not like each other but then got over it:
Lucy Mewcy (her full name) is our older cat, and is completely useless. We used to think she was the best kitty ever because she put up with our kids, but it turns out she doesn’t like to be held or pet, which are really the only reasons to have a cat. Clark (the stripy kitten) joined us this summer from the local pound (as did Lucy a few years ago), and he is, let’s just say, the apple of our eye. We are allergic to him but don’t care because he’s so darn adorable and sweet.
We also have a frog named Jeremy Fisher (children’s literature fans will get this) and a miracle fish named Rachel. Rachel is a miracle because she had a terrible accident involving Clark the kitten, who mistook her for dinner. She survived, though, and is simply missing a fin. Jeremy Fisher is basically a blob stuck in a corner of his terrarium, but he croaks loudly, which serves as entertainment AND a convenient reminder to go to the pet store to buy him crickets.
Our kids are going into 2nd, 4th, and 6th grades this fall and we homeschool the three of them. I never thought I would homeschool but it has been a great decision for our family. I won’t spend time here talking about that, but if you are thinking about it and want advice on how to make it happen (especially if you’re like me and not the teacher-type), fill out a contact form and I’ll get back to you. The flexibility of it and the freedom has helped us do what we’re doing now, as well as teach our kids how to be hard workers (not to say they aren’t lazy sometimes too, because they are).
Things are a little crazy at our house at the moment. In addition to the kitchen remodels we’re doing, there are some projects I would like to work on at our own house (I mean, get my hubby to work on), and we are starting school soon. I want things to be like this:
But in reality, things are like this:
and like this:
and there’s just a little too much going on (and a lot too much mess).
But, in the midst of the chaos, here are some things that help. The picture below shows all the helpers.
- Have a giant cup of coffee. It makes it so you can:
- Spend some time in the Word of God. Not to rush through and check off a box of “Read the Bible in a Year”, but to sit under its teaching and ask God to help you understand it.
- Yummy candles make everything better, especially this one, which smells like lemon and coconut.
- Be thankful. (At least for the coffee, the Word of God, and for the nummy candle).
- Bring a napkin, because there is always coffee on the bottom of the mug after you ask your kids to heat it up for you, and it’ll make a permanent mark on your white-painted table.
- Patterned placemats from Pottery Barn. Pattern and color are so cheery. I wish we could stock these so I could say to come to our shop to get them, but they’re actually from Pottery Barn, my favorite store after our own.
- Have coffee with your spouse or kids when possible. At least, have your kids nearby so you don’t have to get up when you need a reheat.
- Comfy dining chairs. These midcentury orange beasts may not be the prettiest, but they’re comfy and cool if you’re more the Nashville type rather than the Franklin type (Franklin, TN does not understand or appreciate midcentury modern).
And, if all this fails,
Take a nap with the kitty and try steps 1-8 again.
I forgot baked goods. Baked goods help too.
What about you? What helps you either relax or get it all done?
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