A Day of Simple Delights

There is just something about a cozy colorful sweater and a cup of coffee in hand...

 

Not to mention swinging with my dear sweet boy on my lap. I am truly blessed!

"You have let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of Your own eternal presence."  Psalm 16:11 (TLB)

The Importance of Setting Goals

I'm popping in today to share some thoughts on goal setting. Day to day goals. Super practical. Super attainable. Super life changing. I am a strong believer in redeeming the time. This isn't to say that rest and relaxation get thrown out the window. In fact, sometimes rest and relaxation might be the only two goals I set for a given day.  

Here is what I've found works well for me. I try to have a date with my planner either in the evening right before bed or in the afternoon after I finish my devotions (If baby's nap allows it). I spend a little time thinking about the things I want to be intentional about: being a wife, a mother, a shop owner. These are the three missions God has currently blessed me with. My goals then come when I ask myself how I can be more God honoring in each of these areas. How can I reflect the character of my heavenly Father and pour love into these three outlets? 

My goals really end up looking like a to-do list, but an inspired one. Each item having a deeper purpose behind it. Getting groceries is no longer just getting groceries. It's a mission to have on hand the ingredients I need to have a meal ready for my man when he gets home from work. This is something my hubby greatly appreciates and it is one way for me to show him I love him and am grateful for him and his hard work. A trip to the library becomes a treasure hunt for fun children's books, little gems that bring joy and a smile to my sweet son's face when we read together.

I make my list and the next day I follow it, using my time to invest in my family and my work. Praising God for His kindness and another day to honor Him with all He's given me.

Happy Monday dear reader.

xx, 

How To Stay On Top of the Pile

image source

I don't know about you, but in our home laundry seems to add up quickly. After three years of marriage and too many days of "catch up" doing 10 plus loads at once, I've finally landed on a little system that so far has proven quite handy! Here are my tips...

1. Invest in a laundry hamper that has sections. Walmart has some great options you can view here. I warn you, they aren't nearly as pretty as the photo above but they'll do the trick and cost you much less.

2. Sort your laundry as it gets dirty by placing each item in its designated section of the hamper: darks, lights, whites, towels. This saves you on the sorting time later.

Note: Having an additional section for hand washed items is helpful.

3. Clean out one section of your hamper per week day. Just one. You may be tempted to do more but remember it is essential that you fold everything you wash and put it away the same day, so sticking with one hamper section is key. Usually this will equal one full load. However, it may end up being two or three plus loads if you have a larger family.

4. Write your laundry schedule in your planner. I do this because I'm nerdy and it feels fun to check it off at the end of each day. My weekly laundry plan looks like this...

Monday - hand wash

Tuesday - lights

Wednesday - whites

Thursday - darks

Friday - towels

 

5. If you don't have a full load when the designated day comes along, you've earned yourself a laundry-free week day!!! Enjoy...

This is what works for me in this stage of my life. I find it totally manageable and even a little bit enjoyable. Plus it leaves my Saturdays and Sundays free to spend with my hubby and son. And I find myself much happier Sunday morning when everything we need for church is fresh and ready for wear. 

Have you developed a system that works well for you? I'd love to hear it!

Taking a Hike

I've been posting a lot about all the hiking that's been going on around here, but I can't help it. Taking pictures, breathing in fresh air, and getting exercise? Doesn't get much better than that. These were taken over the weekend but we loved this trail so much we just had to go again tonight. God's creation is truly remarkable. 

Hoping you all have had an enjoyable Monday.

xx,

Forest Hike & Some Future Plans

 

It was my hubby's birthday last Friday so we spent a wonderful afternoon outdoors as a family hiking, picnicing and exploring. We really couldn't have asked for a better day. Beautiful.

My sweet little love just went down for his nap so off I go to get some crocheting done. The plan is to create an abundance of items for a flea market stand hopefully sometime in November. My hubby's idea. Love that man! 

 Happy Tuesday to you my dear reader. Hope this week is finding you blessed...

p.s. Don't forget to drop by tomorrow to see what's new in the shop. Wednesdays seem to come so fast!

First Day at the Beach

My husband's brother and sister have been here visiting this week and we've been loving exploring bits of our hometown with them. Today we all decided it was the perfect day to check out the beach.

Sunny. 80. Light breeze. Beautiful.

 It also just so happened to be Jack's very first time going...  

 

I gotta say he wasn't the hugest fan of putting his feet in the sand. I'm sure it must feel like a very strange texture if you've never felt it before. And to be honest, I'm kinda glad he doesn't like it quite yet. I realized today that sand is not the easiest thing to get off a baby's sweet soft skin. 

Anywho,...so happy to have the weekend here. Hope you get a chance to catch some rest and re-energize these next two days.

Hugs,

A Walk at the Beach

Tuesday we spent the afternoon at the beach walking as a family...  

Perfect weather for taking some quick photos.    

I love you Jack and James.

Time Together at the Pier

One more month til the baby comes! My hubby and I are soaking up our final moments of just the two of us as we wait to meet our son.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for peace in the present and hope for the future. And a God who loves us! 

 p.s. Stay tuned... I plan to be present here more often...

Christmas Day in Photos

Just a few of the things I loved about Christmas day at my parent's this year...

 

The tree...

 

Stockings on the stair railing... 

The garland on the piano...

 

The decorations on the fireplace mantel...

 

Ornaments in the window...

The table setting...

 

The green centerpiece...

 

Cinnamon and cider...

 

Peppermint meringue kisses...

 

Pickles rolled in ham...

 

Traditional deviled eggs...

 

Delicious fresh veggies...

 

My family...

 

My love and me...

 

Opening gifts together...

It was a beautiful day, abundantly full of the God's love and goodness.

What did you love about your Christmas this year?

Weekend Wonderfulness

We celebrated my hubby's birthday over the weekend and had some of his family and one of his friends over for lunch, lots of yummy desserts, and some incredibly invigorating time outdoors. We got to visit a local (my first this year!) apple orchard, and then explored some beautiful trails in the woods. Lots of trees were starting to change and mostly to golden hues.

 

The sunshine was spectacular!

 

I did spot this one and only ruby colored tree along the path.

Halfway through the hike, we got to rest and take in this glorious sunset. I love his family and felt so blessed by everyone's presence. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and I was left with this incredible feeling of overwhelming gratitude for the wonderful things in life.