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.

DIY | The Journey of a Humble Table

      I originally started writing this post back in 2018, before life got busy and this blog quietly slipped into hibernation. A lot has changed since then, but this little project stayed with me, tucked away both in storage and in the back of my mind. Going through my drafts, it feels like the perfect time to finally share the story of a table that was never just a table.

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.

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. 

"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...

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...}

Educational Netflix

     I thought I'd share our favorite shows we watch on Netflix that are not only fun, but also educational. I'm not one of those home school moms that make my kids write a report on any of these, we watch them for fun and relaxation.. but they still learn something..

The Thankful Paper Chain

     Every Thanksgiving, we celebrate with family and/or friends. Everyone brings a dish to share, which usually turns into a feast, we talk about things we are thankful for, and generally have a relaxed day of yummy food and fellowship. I really liked a thoughtful Thanksgiving tradition that a wonderful friend of mine started with her family. I thought, "What a great way to get children to think about the things they are grateful for, to see them all in one place, and to have a daily reminder!"

The ABC's of Our Family Values

     I am so glad I found a MOPS group here! I went this week and we watched a short video clip by Danica Russell where she talked a little about her book, A Little Radical: The ABC's of Activism. A book for kids to start thinking about pro-active problem solving. As an exercise, we all wrote down our own. When I got home I decided to find a bible verse for each one as well. So here they are...

Our new home

     Many people are downsizing their stuff and their homes, going from big homes to tiny homes. Not us. We were living in a 1,260 square foot home. 9 people in that tiny house. We were like sardines in a can.

Happy news!!

     Some time in June Mr. Chickadee and I decided it was time to move. We have outgrown our mobile home and are ready for something new. My mom jokingly calls us gypsies hehe. Anywho.. in July we talked about moving to Texas, Florida, or North Carolina. So while the chickadees and I visited my family in August, Mr. Chickadee visited those states. Scoping out work and living arrangments. He also asked me to do the same in Minnesota.

Family Dinner Questions {free printable}

     Does your family eat quietly at the dinner table? Or does every one chatter and talk about their day or their dreams? This is a craft we put together in one of our MOPS meetings. If you're looking for a way to engage your family in conversations, but don't know where to start, this is a great way!

Capsule Wardrobe | Challenge Conclusion

     I'm going to let you in on a little secret. 2 weeks into the challenge, I started doubting myself and wondered if it was a stupid idea. I'm a stay at home mom with 7 children.. some of whom pull on my clothes, hair, and if I wear jewelry, they'll yank on those too. Not to mention the spit up and dirty hands. More often than not, that was the reason I wore the same clothes forever and reach for the same combination of top and bottom.

Our family car decal ♥

     I like family car decals.. I know not everyone does, but I love them. Especially when it's a large family. I am very particular about how things look though, so I had been searching for just the right one. Not finding anything that I loved, I decided to make my own.. Isn't it just perfect?!

Our home birth story

Many people have been asking to read about our first home birth experience

(after having 6 in the hospital)

so here it is.... 

the birth of our Alexa

(no gory details, I promise)

Our baby has arrived!

Introducing our newest chickadee

Alexa!

Born in the comfort of our home.

What's in a name?

     Trying to name this baby is next to impossible!! I have a list of possibilities, but Mr. Chickadee only likes the first name from the girls list. He's convinced it's a girl ❤

Peace

     When I was expecting our 6th child, I was anxious and scared and my mind was buzzing, "OMG we are going to have 6 kids!!! How am I going to do this??!" Not with this baby though. I have such peace about it and I am really looking forward to enjoying our 7 children. I must say though, God had been preparing me and opened my heart to receive this baby.