Weekend Links

What I Do Have at Assortment:

"Not creating wasn’t an option; finding a way to create was, even if that meant becoming outside-the-box thinkers, and looking at everything that we did have with possibility."

Because Sharing the Imperfect is Worth the Risk at The Nesting Place:

"You are the ones saying YES, let’s stop pretending that we need to impress each other. None of us is perfect and I’ll take that risk and be the first to admit it. And it can start with a pair of mistreated, hot glued drapes. That actually look pretty good."

What Would Happen if You Just Let Go? at The Minimalists

"Look around your home, your car, your office. Why are you holding on to so much stuff that doesn’t add value to your life? Now, what would happen if you just let go of the excess? What benefits would you experience? How would it feel to have more time, more money, more contentment? How would it feel to have a cleaner home, a clearer mind, a less stressful life?"

Simple Ways to Garden Without Spending Money at Old World Garden Farms

"When it comes to gardening, the simple fact is that it’s only expensive if you choose to make it that way. There are many ways to create, grow and harvest your own food without spending a bushel-full of cash." 

Weekend Links

I've been waffling on when I want to post links, but I always have so many that I NEED to share them at some point! This week it's some Saturday morning ready for you:)

Pro Organizer Tips: What Not to Do When De-Cluttering Your Home at Apartment Therapy:

"But here's the crucial part: Once you have decided where something is going to go -- take it there. Never keep bags for charity or boxes for friends in your home to deliver later. Do it now. Finish the process."

The Solution to American Poverty at Flower Patch Farmgirl:

"The problem is, I know names now. The whole (airquotes) poverty issue isn't hypothetical or theoretical anymore, and it can't be squashed with a mouthful of social science jargon."

I Choose Slow at The Nesting Place:

"Slow is a choice. You choose to be okay with the imperfection now because you trust things will change in the future. Choosing slow isn’t giving up or backing down, it’s usually not being lazy, maybe intentionally slowing down is an act of hope, rest and trust."

In Which I Don't Mind if My Tinies See Me On the Computer from Sarah Bessey via The Art of Simple

"Early into our family arrangement, I had to take a long hard look at the narrative that it was a shameful thing for my tinies to see me on the computer.And then, thoughtfully, prayerfully, we decided to call complete and utter crap on any more needless mum-guilt."

Let the Camera Testify: Roger May’s Photographic Hymn to His Mountain Home at Bitter Southerner via life {in} grace:

"Both outsiders and native artists continue to perpetuate those notions of depravity today. Others insist on only recording the amazing physical beauty of the region, even if that topography is disappearing more and more each day. But romanticizing a place is just as bad as vilifying it.Roger May insists on doing neither."

Happy Weekend, hope you have lots of sunshine and springtime wherever you are!

Friday Bits and Pieces

This week started out rough. An awful ear infection and a stomach virus for her, puking all over the pharmacy at the grocery store, sadness over a dead chicken, driving people here there and everywhere, swirling questions of decisions to be made and hoping that they were right. We needed color and fresh air desperately. Stuck inside (again) we all painted and cut and ripped magazines and ran outside in the snow and rode scooters in circles inside. We watched way too much tv and I tried to carve out alone time where I could for each of us. 

Some Link Love for your Friday:

Gray on Gray from Tales from the Motherland

"I miss the nights when he would pull me into his arms for a kiss goodnight, and I could nuzzle his sweet neck and smell his yummy little boyness, as he kissed my cheek. The days when he would bring bouquets of flowers, pulled from my precious garden, are gone. To go back– I would reframe from chastising, and linger with my nose in those buds a few minutes longer. I would take in his pleased expression and bathe in that hopeful look that told me that I was the love of his life. Now he has other loves…while he is still, and will always be one of the great loves of my life."

In which the moments are now ours alone :: on (not) blogging about my tinies from Sarah Bessey

"I need my children to know that they aren’t blog fodder. I need them to know that they can grow up without an audience being privy to their sacred moments."

Alone Time from The Minimalists

"Then, as my twenties twilighted, I discovered I was more affable whenever I carved out time for myself. (After all, I’m an INTJ.) But don’t worry, this isn’t a platitudinal reminder to “make time for yourself.” Rather, it’s a reminder to embrace your individualism—your personality."

4 Time Saving Tips for Your Family from An Inviting Home

"I know right where to go when a child's pants start looking like capris (I think my three year old grew an inch overnight last week!) and since everything is already sorted by gender and sizes it makes finding things a breeze."

The "Can't Also" Crisis from Kelle Hampton

"I often pigeonhole myself into categories, as if a woman who wants to change the world can’t also love cute shoes. Or a mom who sings of the joys of holding a sleeping baby can’t also want to learn more about business. Or an advocate for a cause of great importance can’t also advocate for a cause of little importance like wearing lipstick or buying art or making crafts."

For the record: I can sing every word to Easy E's Gimme That Nutt and Wreckx-N-Effect's Rump Shaker. I don't suggest googling the lyrics to either at work! If you ask me to sing them, you'll probably get one of the biggest smiles out of me that you've ever seen and a good blush on my cheeks. Happy weekend everyone:)  

Snowy and Icy

Snowy and Icy was our theme this week.  The kids were home from school way too much. A tree fell in the backyard and thankfully fell away from the house and managed to also miss the chicken coop by inches.  I somehow managed to make a ton of freezer meals and meal plan, so that felt good.  I may share some more on that soon if these kids will just get back to school!  We got out my old American Girl doll and marveled at all of her things and looked through the old catalogs from the early 90s that I still had in her trunk. Our weekend is going to be filled with swimming lessons, Valentine-making, Olympics-watching, tree-chopping and warm food. How about you? 

Some reads I've loved this week: 

: "Two years ago, my son spent his 7th birthday hyperventilating in the shower over all the questions that might never be answered about his past and his future. The cupcakes were eaten and our day had been big-time fun, but the sun set on his heartbreak and he asked to take a late-night shower. We agreed, never guessing he was smart enough to know that behind the curtain, his tears could blend quietly down the drain pipe." -The Best Gift and Adoptive Mom Can Give

: The Clothes and The Toys You Want Your Kids to Love (and They Don't) - Part of a series on reducing clutter in your home at The Minimalist Mom. Make sure you don't miss all of the goodness added in the comments! (Bonus: Last week's You Can't Have It All part of the series is such a good reminder.)

:I would really like to live in this house, please. 

I finally made a Facebook page for the blog, I'd so love to see you there! 

Some Friday Link Love

I've whined enough about how depressing this winter has been for me (can we all agree that this winter has been an insanely cold, snowy, gray one full of sickness that has made us feel like we're walking around in a fog?) so I thought it might be nice to share some fresh, happy posts to enjoy winter while it's here and look forward to the fact that it's February tomorrow and spring is a bit closer!  I'm trying really hard to get outside and walk a bit each day for sunshine or at the very least do work as close to a window as possible, what have you been doing to kick this winter in the face??

: I need these sky lights in my kitchen.  

: "Teachers- you’ve got a million parents behind you whispering together: 'We don’t care about the damn standardized tests. We only care that you teach our children to be Brave and Kind. And we thank you. We thank you for saving lives.'" -Glennon Doyle Melton  EVERY time I read a post from Glennon, I kick myself for letting it take so long for me to start reading her blog! 

: Ice Tunnels with Salt and Liquid Watercolors - These look so pretty and, even though the article is for summer, I think winter is perfect for this, too! 

: A long time ago, I made some spice rack book shelves that wound up going a little crazy on the internet.  They're still up in our house, but they're in our room instead of the kids because we switched rooms and I've been hunting for something to do on a bigger scale in their room since we switched.  I've seen a ton of those rain gutter type of shelves that are along the lines of the spice racks, but I've been thinking that I want something taller to be able to store books up high that aren't seasonal and this is going on my list of projects for their room, there's a perfect spot between their closet doors. 

: While I'm sitting and meal planning for the upcoming weeks this weekend, this Salmon with Green Beans and Mushrooms is definitely going on the list for a night when we need a quick meal.  It's not like it's revolutionary or anything, but the photo is so beautiful that it totally sucked me in.  The addition of lemon and mushrooms and the element of everything on one sheet for baking makes it quick and something a little more light since I feel like we've been eating heartier and heavier dishes lately. 

: I try hard not to keep a ton of junk for "just in case," but my kids really do love to play with junk and this Inventor's Box is just the ticket to keep it all contained but still let them create with their imaginations!  

Happy weekend everyone, stay warm! 


Disclousure: Amazon links are affiliate links. 

Gratitude and Weekend Links

Gratitude this week: The conversation where the 6-year-old told me she liked my outfit (while I was wearing my oldest capri yoga pants and an old hoodie.) Taking away tv for the week being the best thing ever.  Freezer meals made by friends that made dinners so easy.  Cool weather that means open windows.  Not much on the schedule that's letting us just hang out.  New school lunch supplies and just one selection that didn't involve pink.  

Some favorites from recently: 

On Kids and Entitlement (and Simplicity,) "No matter how much I want to want less, it's a concept I embrace more in theory than in practice...But maybe that wanting is a good enough place to start. Maybe that bone-deep itch to slough off the excess is like the mosquito bite on my right ankle - the more I scratch it, the longer it sticks around....Whether by necessity or pure choice, we can opt out of gift-wrapping the lie for our kids that they need the thing that "everyone else" has. We can instill lessons about necessity and budgeting without ever saying the words."

Foibles of local eating (& tomatoes many ways) "Things seem pretty good for seasonal, local food, if you take a look at my dining room table. I don’t have a ton of disposable income, but I chose to spend a lot of it on tomatoes last weekBreathe: "Today, just do the things in front of you. And if you don’t get it all done? No worries. Just start again tomorrow. Breathe deeply."

How to Make a Watercolor Chart: "They're a bit time-consuming to create (it took me about 2 hours in total to make mine), but making them is therapeutic."

New to Canning? Start Here: Boiling Water Bath Canning: "We all find ways to make it work with the tools, equipment and space that we have. In the end, the most important things are that you get your jars hot, that you fill them to the proper headspace, and that you process them for the amount of time prescribed by your recipe. There’s a good deal of flexibility in the rest of the details."

This Morning I Yelled: "at my son for refusing to put on his shoes, at my clean unfolded laundry for covering the couch, at the rats for reproducing and forcing me to kill their babies, at my daughter for taking 30 minutes to choose a pair of earrings, at the black mold in my bathroom, at my kids in the carpool drop-off line to hurry up and don't forget your lunch please say thank you to the woman opening the door Bella don't hit Dash even though he's annoying. I thought I was done yelling. And then that new Taylor Swift song came on. So I yelled at Taylor as I drove to the grocery store...So when I need a break or a breath or a boost or a shift, I make some ice cream. The great neutralizer. I think you might like my strawberry ice cream, Taylor. I would love to serve you some on my back porch."  

A Little Bit Wild: "My garden is pretty different than my vision for it was early this spring, and from any previous year. It has taken me a while, but I am finally fully appreciating and enjoying it for what it has become. Instead of seeming haphazard and messy, it now seems full, textural, thriving and beautiful."