The Whisper of Becoming

      Lately, a single phrase keeps following me.

     “You’re becoming.”

      I keep seeing it everywhere.
      Like a quiet little whisper following me around.
      Soft. Subtle. Persistent.

Coffee With My Younger Self

      I met my younger self for coffee this morning.

      She showed up full of conviction, so sure of who she was supposed to be.
      Hopeful. Certain.
      Soft and kind, unaware of what was coming.

Moonglow: A Glimmer I Didn’t Expect to Find

Image Credit: M3DIOCRE aka The Nighthawk

     When The Nighthawk and I got married, we were given a wedding gift of a hotel stay out of town. While exploring the area during our stay, we wandered into a little shop where I found myself drawn to a display of moon necklaces by Moonglow. Out of pure curiosity, I looked up my birthdate, and it turns out I was born on a full moon! The description of a full moon birthday really resonated with me. It said that people born under this moon are selfless, generous, and pour their hearts into everything they do. I wasn’t planning on buying anything, but something about that moment felt meaningful, and I couldn’t walk away.

A New Bird in the Nest

      If you’ve been around this blog for a while, you might remember “Mr. Chickadee” ~ my nickname for my now ex-husband, back when this space was mostly about little feet, diy, and homeschooling chaos.

      Well, time has flown, and my life looks a little different now. I’ve remarried to someone who stepped into this beautifully chaotic life of ours with an open heart and a solid sense of humor.

      And because this blog has always had a bit of a bird theme, it only felt right to give him a nickname too.

Why I Call My Kids My Chickadees

      I can’t remember exactly when or why I started calling my kids “chickadees.” It’s one of those nicknames that just became part of our world ~ like a favorite blanket or a well loved book. One day, I said it, and it stuck. Now it feels like it’s always been theirs.

The Quiet Magic of Glimmers

      Have you heard of glimmers?

      If you haven’t, glimmers are moments when something sparks joy or happiness… completely the opposite of triggers.

      A few months ago, our couples therapist said something that really stuck with me: If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. It made me realize how often we approach life with the same old tools… reacting out of habit, fear, or survival mode. So much of our struggle comes from not having new tools, or what he called cognitive inflexibility, to handle life on life's terms.

      That’s where glimmers come in.

Hello Again, Old Friend

       It’s been a minute… okay, a few years. My last post was in December of 2018, and since then, life has hit hard and deep. It’s been beautiful in moments, but also messy, heavy, and brutally honest. The kind of full that cracks you open, forces growth you didn’t ask for, and reshapes everything you thought you knew. I’ve been surviving, stumbling, learning, and slowly finding my way back to myself. 

Home Decor | Slow Progress

     There are people who purchase all new and matching furniture to decorate their new home in one go.. we are not those people.. our home decor is a slow progress and it used to stress me out to have people over..

Things you may not know about me #8

My heart stopped when I was a baby.

"Well I can't do any self care because ..."

     Any time I talk about self care, I hear so many excuses from women on why they can't do it and how they're so tired and wish they had the time or energy to take care of themselves. "Well I can't do any self care because..." "I don't have time." "Who will take care of my kids while I relax?" "I can't afford it." "I don't know how." Etc.. etc.. etc..

"You have time for self care?"

     The question that comes after "How do you always look so nice despite having 7 kids?", is "How do you have time for that with 7 kids?!" Well...

"You always look so nice!"

     I can't tell you how many times I've been asked how I manage to always look nice, despite having 7 children. Well for starters, I don't always look nice. Only when you see me, weather that's in real life or on social media. Even then, I don't always think I look nice at all. And very few people have seen me at my worst.

Skinny girl on a diet?

     Although I do not tell people that I'm on a keto diet, they do notice that I'm not eating like everyone else. They ask, "Why are YOU on a diet?! You're skinny! You need to eat or you'll die!" Well, thank you for your concern, but do you not see all this food on my plate?!

Capsule Wardrobe | Maybe Not

The inspiration closet...

    When I first started on my capsule wardrobe journey, I really wanted to have minimal clothes with maximum options to wear them.. So I purged and purged and was well on my way to a minimal closet.

Things you may not know about me #7

I had my right heel and ankle torn up by a bicycle wheel.

Crunchy Mama Tag

     My friend over at Simple Steps did a Crunchy Mama Tag and I enjoyed reading it.. thought I'd check myself too hehe..

When Friends & Family Question Homeschooling

      I recently started following a fellow homeschooler and blogger and was lead to her post "When Family and Friends Are Opposed to Homeschooling" I laughed and I cried and I laughed again. Here are a few of my favorite parts {and my added thoughts...}

Keto | Biscuits

     Well well well... wouldn't you know it, I have hopped on the keto bandwagon and have noticed great results!!

Coffee

     Let's talk coffee.. Do you love it? Loathe it? I am in between. I like to drink it on occasion, on a very rare occasion.

Things you may not know about me #6

Boiling water spilled on my leg.