“You’re amazing! You have five kids and homeschool. I could never do that!” Most likely I could never do whatever image you have in your mind of what “homeschooling with five kids” looks like. Because most days it looks messy and chaotic.
Choosing Joy, part 2
Christmas is coming and there seems to be a fair bit of panic about sorting Amazon packages, getting the Christmas outfits together and buying last minute stocking stuffers. My pre-Christmas hustle came in early November. Between Thanksgiving and Epiphany (January 6th) we have three of our kids’ birthdays and our wedding anniversary. Lots to celebrate! Plus, being due a week before Christmas, I wanted to get everything I could done “before the baby came.”
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Choosing Joy
I have a beautiful 2 day old babe nursing (well) as the house is quietly tucked in bed. It’s been an exhausting week because of multi-level illness and having a baby- we’re tired. BUT, I’ve been down this road before and if I only focus on the tired, disorganized bedroom, needs unmet and runny noses, I will shrivel. Continue reading
Are all these kids yours?
Lady at the grocery store: “Are all these kids yours?”
Me: “Yes.”
Lady: “You have your hands full.”
Me: “Yes, of good things.” Continue reading
Cover the yellow walls!
Renting a place has never stopped me from painting, wallpapering, adding chair rail, removing an unnecessary radiator, ripping up carpeting and refinishing hardwood floors or even relocating a built in. Continue reading
Organizing- who hasn’t been inspired by Marie?
Watching cute Marie Kondo on Netflix or Youtube organize and get excited about clutter is enough for most of us to start sorting and asking, “Does this spark joy? Do I want to take this into my future?” While I don’t tri-fold my socks, I have modifying a lot of her tips.
Comparison stifles the beauty of our story
Last weekend Dave hung our chandelier from Paris up in our breakfast nook. Seeing it hang there brings me back to our apartment on rue du Rendez-Vous. It hung against a deep turquoise wall and above our lacquered dining table. Out the big balcony windows we could see and hear the busy commèrcante street. We now see palm trees and dog walkers out our Floridian window but there’s still an elegance to the chandelier that I scored as a street find. Continue reading
Traveling with four kids, ages six and under.
We are on the move a fair bit as a family on mission. This summer, we are visiting our ministry partners in the Midwest. The last time we did this, was four years ago and we had a three year old and a one year old. Now, we have four kids: 6, 5 & 3 years old and 5 months old. Here are a few of our best practices as we travel and set up “home” in six different houses. Continue reading
The emotions of moving (again)
I crabbed at my kids all day today, Lexie had a tantrum before she even got on the bus and Chloe asked, “Papa, what doing?” as he taped another box together. We are in the thick of transition, and it isn’t always pretty. Continue reading
Tips on a positive postpartum season
This is the best I’ve felt after having a baby and I want to share a few things that have really helped:
Having a labor coach. I had a wonderful friend who coached me during labor and helped make it a peaceful, redeeming birth. Having a good birth, was a great start to post-partum.
Advice from a lactation consultant. Theo is my fourth baby I’ve nursed and I didn’t think I needed help in the breast feeding department, so I turned the lactation consultant down at the hospital (or I tried to). Continue reading
Everyday Paris Mama 