A morning at the farm store ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿฝโ€๐ŸŒพ

Going to the local farm store has become one of our favorite things to do this summer.

We’ve been going biweekly to look at the flowers (and sometimes buy flowers ๐ŸŒธ๐Ÿ˜†), get fresh baked goods, and checkout any new products.

The kids love it because I always buy them lollipops. ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿ˜…

In May, I bought some of our fruit and vegetable starts at the farm store.

I must say, I am very pleased with the plants we got because they have been growing so well in our little gardens. ๐Ÿ˜๐ŸŒฑ

On this particular day, we bought a dozen cinnamon sugar donuts ๐Ÿฉ (for only $8!), deli meat and sub rolls for lunch ๐Ÿฅช, lollipops for the kids ๐Ÿญ, a hanging flower basket for the front porch ๐Ÿ’, and fresh parsley for the swallowtail caterpillar we’re “raising” ๐Ÿ›.

Zaya (5) picking out lollipops at the farm store. ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿญ

A few weeks ago, we found a butterfly egg on our garden parsley. Since then, we have been caring for the swallowtail caterpillar.

But I’ll share more on that story in a different post. ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ›๐Ÿฆ‹

Fresh parsley for Cali the caterpillar ๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ›
Cali loves the parsley! ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŒฟ

I was good, and I only bought three plants this time ๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿชด: flowers for the porch, onion starts, and more parsley for the caterpillar (because I didn’t want it to eat all of the small parsley plants I had in my grow bag).

๐Ÿ’œ XO


Happy Friday

Three things to reflect on in honor of September 11th.

Purr my last email ๐Ÿ˜น

We do something a little different from the traditional chores allowance. Instead, we give the kids a reading allowance. ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿค‘

Think 90s Book It!, but instead of a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut ๐Ÿ•๐Ÿ“š (which I miss BTW! ๐Ÿฅน #90sKid), they earn a little money when they fill up their reading logs.

And my kids LOVE doing this! ๐Ÿ˜

I always take them to the stores where it’s easy to find fun things for under $10.

Places like Walmart, Five Below, Target, and Dollar Tree where a kid gets excited over novelty products, inexpensive art supplies, plushies, puzzles, slime, posters and unique gadgets. ๐Ÿคฉ

You know the kind of stuff when you’re out grocery shopping and your kid picks up some random fuzzy pen that costs six bucks and asks if you can get it.

But you’re like, “Absolutely not! That fuzzy pen is $6! ๐Ÿ˜ฒ We’re here to just get some milk and bread, dude.” ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜

I found this fun sign when we went to Five Below. Lol ๐Ÿ˜น

But with their own money they can get any fuzzy pen or quirky doodad they want! ๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ˜‰

Yeah, those are the kind of stores I take the kids to on their allowance payday. ๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿ˜‚

Plus, it’s a great way to teach the kids living math! ๐Ÿ’ฏ

They learn price comparison, estimating, paying tax, counting money to pay for purchases at stores, how to save their money…and bonus…social skillsโ€”how to interact with the cashiers and staff!

๐Ÿ’œ XO


Happy Friday!

Four fun things for Friday, including a new art exhibit I’m excited to see.

Brunch, Garden, Mass, and H-Mart

The day started with a cozy brunch at home. I’ve mentioned before on Fridays we have Pizza Friday.

I always order my pizza from a local Italian market. They always use fresh ingredients and cook the pizza using a wood-burning oven. It’s the best fresh pizza I’ve ever had! ๐Ÿ˜‹

You get an 11″ pizza with unlimited toppings for just $12! Great deal! I always order the meat lovers pizza with artichoke as an extra topping.

For brunch on the weekends, I like to have my favorite tea with a slice of my leftover pizza with a fried egg and honey drizzle on top. I put on my jazz playlist and just enjoy the vibes.

Last Saturday, I introduced my pizza brunch recreation to Travis and he was amazed at how delicious the leftover pizza tasted with fried egg.

“Yo! This is REALLY good!” he exclaimed. “How did you come up with this?” ๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿ•

A little work in the garden

We did a little work in the garden. I planted another sugar baby watermelon start, and Zaya (5) wanted to plant a cosmos flower seed in her little baby pot. ๐Ÿฅน๐ŸŒธ

This makes two sugar baby watermelon starts we are growing in the garden.

Zhen (13) chose the mini watermelon to grow because she LOVES watermelon. ๐Ÿ‰

I’m a little nervous about having enough space for the watermelon to vine, but I’ve been researching ways to grow vertically, so I think we can make it work! ๐Ÿคž๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ˜

It looks like he’s smiling at me. ๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿธ

Mr. Toad back again

And while I was tending to the patio garden, my little toad friend was hopping behind me. ๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿธ It’s so cute because I often see this toad pop out when I am working in the garden.

It seems he was on his way to the garden section of our peppers and tomatoes. Lol ๐Ÿ˜… That was perfect because some bugs have been hanging around the plants. ๐Ÿชฒ

Mass and a quick stop at H-Mart

Later in the afternoon, we went to the Saturday vigil Mass.

Since Travis works six days a week, we have found going to Saturday Mass is a little easier on him. That way he can sleep in and fully rest on Sundays.

After Mass, we stopped by H-Mart to get lo mein noodles and a few other ingredients. I had a craving for homemade chicken lo mein and I wanted to cook it for dinner.

These Canton Style Egg Noodles are so easy to cook and the texture is perfect for my homemade stir-fry. ๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿœ
I also saw these lo mein egg noodles. I’ve never cooked them before, so I thought I’d give it a try. ๐Ÿœ

The kids LOVE H-Mart! ๐Ÿ˜ Every time we go, they always want to get ramyun and snacks. This time, they found K-Pop Demon Hunters snacks, so of course, we had to get it! ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿพ

What we bought at H-Mart…

I love H-Mart because they sell so many varieties of noodles, rice, kimchi, and other unique foods that you can’t find at American supermarkets.

The kids wanted to check out the toy section (obviously lol), and they wanted us to buy something.

I told them to save up their allowance money so we can come back and they can buy the toy they really want to get. ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿ’ก

Before leaving H-Mart, we played a game of Toy Houseโ€”the claw machine game.

We didn’t win anything (does anyone ever win these games? ๐Ÿ˜ lol), but it was still fun trying. ๐Ÿ˜Š

๐Ÿ’œ XO


Low energy day, so let’s make pancakes!

My energy is low today, which is honestly pretty typical for a Wednesday for me. ๐Ÿ˜ด

Today, I am taking it slow and reading Outlander (I’m on chapter 25), finishing organizing my homeschool planner, and doing a little cooking with the kids.

Outlander

Okay, don’t laugh at me, but I have been reading Outlander since last summer! Maybe longer. ๐Ÿ˜†

I struggle to stay consistent with reading books. ๐Ÿ˜ซ It frustrates me because I LOVE books!

I used to be able to read one novel (under 400 pages) in 1 – 2 weeks. Now, it takes me much longer.

I partly blame social media for zapping my attention span. ๐Ÿ˜ Last year, I stopped using Instagram regularly for this very reason (also anxiety).

Now I just hop on social media every once in awhile. It has made a huge difference for me, so hopefully this summer I will finally finish reading Outlander! ๐Ÿ˜‚

Pancakes

It’s a low energy day, so let’s make buttermilk pancakes! ๐Ÿฅž Zephaniah (8) and Zhen (13) helped me flip the pancakes while I washed the dishes.

Another sunflower rescue

So far, we’ve “rescued” five sunflowers we found growing in between the sidewalk. We discovered another volunteer sunflower sprout that, unfortunately, was broken.

So, I put what was left of the stem in a glass jar of water. Now it’s growing new roots! ๐ŸŒป๐Ÿ˜

One of the sunflowers we rescued is happily growing in a pot for now. Once it has outgrown this pot, I will move it to a large-size grow bag.

Lasagna for dinner

And we’re ending this chill day with a simple homemade lasagna for dinner. Zaya (5) and Zephaniah helped me make the lasagna.

So much to do tomorrow! Hopefully, today’s relaxed activities will give me the energy rejuvenation I need for Thursday.

๐Ÿ’œ XO


Tattoo collector

American traditional tattoosโ€”I love the classic, vintage imagery and bold colors and lines.

A lot of time in the kitchen today

The kitchen is where I spend most of time during the week. It’s the heart of our home.

A lot of cooking, talking, laughing, discussing, learning, praying, and visiting happen in our kitchen.

Today it was making homemade food, listening to my 8-year-old read his library book, sharing my oldest daughter’s joy of her passing her driver’s test, listening to my favorite music playlists, and catching up with my husband after he got off from work.

Zaya (5) helped make waffles with me while Zephaniah (8) read one of his library books to us. ๐Ÿ˜Š

It ended up not storming too badly despite yesterday’s weather predictions.

At least, it didn’t storm where we live. I didn’t check the news yet to see what the weather was like for surrounding areas.

I’m relieved the garden is still holding strong. Although just a few plants have yellowish leaves from too much rain.

Tomorrow’s weather report predicts a full day of sun. I hope so because even I’m over all this rain.

Also, the kids and I are feeling better than we did yesterday and the day before that. Almost at 100% better!

Tomorrow, the kids want me to help them make homemade chocolate cupcakes. They’ve been planning a movie party for Friday nightโ€”popcorn, pizza, and chocolate cupcakes.

So you know what that meansโ€”I’ll be spending more time in the kitchen tomorrow! ๐Ÿ˜Š

๐Ÿ’œ XO


Calm before the storm

We’re supposed to get a storm later tonight. Possible thunderstorms, flash flooding, and tornado.

I hope it just rains and there aren’t any bad storms, but if we do have harsh weather tonight, I hope everyone takes the necessary precautions and stays safe!

We moved our grow bags in a safe spot just in case it storms later tonight.

We prepped our basement in case water gets in it. This type of flash flooding is very common for southeast Michigan.

I also worked on moving our garden grow bags to spots outside that will hopefully keep them safe from the storm.

I’ll have to bring our seedlings inside so the storm doesn’t hurt them. ๐ŸŒฟ

We’ve had unusually cooler temps all week with rain off and on. My poor summer vegetables and some of my transplants are freaking out. ๐Ÿ˜ฉ

They’re like, “Girl, what is going on?! I can’t stand up straight.” ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜†

It should be sunny tomorrow, so I’m hoping the soil can dry out and the stressed plants perk up.

My new celery starts have had enough of this rain!
The careors and green beans are looking good!

I’m feeling much better than I did yesterday. The rest did me good. The kids are getting better each day, too. I think by next Monday everyone will be feeling 100% better.

This viral bug has a slow recovery. We rarely get sick in the summer. ๐Ÿ˜ I’m very thankful everyone is healing comfortably at home.and no one had to go to the doctor!

And since we’re feeling a little better, I decided to make a sweet treat for the family โ€” homemade peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. ๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿช

Of course, my chef assistant Zaya (5) helped. ๐Ÿ˜„ She LOVES cooking! ๐Ÿ˜

I’ll share my homemade peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe in another post. The cookies are DELICIOUS! It’s hard to eat just one! ๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿช

๐Ÿ’œ XO


The old journal

A visit to an art thrift store leads to a journal discovery.

How was your weekend?

How was your weekend? I didn’t post Thursday and Friday because I had a tough few days. We had a death in the family, and it caught me by surprise.

I’ve been processing my thoughts and feelings on this, especially since I’ve had a couple of family members question my sadness.

Long story. Short version: I have a complicated relationship with my family.

One of the things I have learned about grief is you can feel deep sadness while also carrying on with your life, especially when you have children.

So, you could say this weekend was a mix of reflecting on my sadness, remembering the good times, and having joyful moments with Travis and the children.

On Friday, we took the kids to a local Asian market to get some ingredients for a few recipes we wanted to try.

Since we’ve been learning about the Lunar New Year, we thought it’d be fun to cook some new foods we’ve never made before like pot stickers and sesame seed balls.

The kids thought it was so cool to see the lobster and tilapia fish swimming in the aquariums.

And of course, they were SO excited to see all of the Kpop Demon Hunters merch at the market! ๐Ÿ˜† They wanted me to buy all the Kpop things. Haha

We bought them Kpop-themed Shin Ramyun and Pocky snacks. They had the ramyun for lunch on Saturday. I was surprised they liked it despite the spiciness!

On Saturday, I spent the entire day drawing in my sketchbook, listening to music, and binge-watching a show.

My energy was a little low and my eyes were so puffy from crying. I’m doing okay today. Just still processing everything.

I just needed a calming activity that didn’t require me to think very much, if that makes sense.

On Sunday, we enjoyed a family breakfast and then went to Mass.

Travis and the kids made egg rolls and wontons later that evening while I worked on some lesson planning.

“Grief doesnโ€™t always knock joy out of the room. Sometimes it just sits in the corner while joy continues.”

๐Ÿ™๐ŸฝAnd today, I’m staying in prayer for world peace…

I hope you find small moments of joy this week.

๐Ÿ’œXO


๐Ÿ“ธ Feature image credit here.

Faith,family, and Chinese New Year fun

Hi, friends! How was your weekend? This weekend we were on the go quite a bit attending two eventsโ€”Rite of Election and a Chinese New Year celebration.

On Saturday, Travis participated in the Rite of Election, reaching a special milestone in his faith journey.

In case you’re unfamiliar with what Rite of Election means, it’s when those preparing to enter the Catholic faith are formally welcomed and encouraged on their faith journey.

Rite of Election usually occurs on the first Sunday of Lent, but this year, there was a BIG group of people participatingโ€”over 1,400 people ๐Ÿ˜ฒ preparing for their baptisms/confirmationsโ€”so multiple services were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday!

According to this article I read, it’s the most in Detroit in 21 years! I think that’s just so beautiful and a wonderful blessing. Congratulations to everyone! ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ

We had Sunday morning plans to attend a Chinese New Year festival, but Travis and I were still recovering from attending Saturday’s evening church service and late night grocery shopping. ๐Ÿ˜ด

So, we ended up having a slow morning with a homemade brunch and blueberry tea. Plus, it was snowing, and we wanted to wait it out just in case the roads got bad.

After brunch. Zechariah (10) handed me a dollar and said it was my tip for cooking such a delicious breakfast. Lol! ๐Ÿ˜„

Thankfully, the snowfall was light and didn’t last long, so we were able to still attend the event.

The kids loved the Lunar New Year celebration! We’ve been learning about Chinese New Year for world geography, so attending the local event helped the children make authentic connections to our mini unit study.

I brought my camera with me, and the kids took turns taking pictures. ๐Ÿ“ธ๐Ÿ˜Š

We enjoyed delicious food, browsing the market vendors, watching performances, and just spending time together as a family. ๐Ÿฅฐ

We loved learning more about the Chinese New Year! I love that we live in a culturally diverse city where we can connect with others and celebrate with them.

Happy Lunar New Year and Happy Year of the Horse!๐Ÿดโค๏ธ Hope you find moments of joy this week.

๐Ÿ’œXO


“So you are a teacher.”

Last week, when we went to the library, a kind man said something to me that made me pause and rethink how I see myself as an educator.

I was diligently searching for library books for our homeschooling studiesโ€”glasses on, checking my handwritten list of titles and call numbers, and pulling a wagon filled with stacks of books I had already thoughtfully selected.

A voice breaks my concentration while I am searching for alphabet-themed picture books for my five-year-old.

“You’re on a mission, huh?!”

I look up to see who is talking to me, and I seeโ€”who I assume to be a grandfatherโ€”an older man with his young granddaughter smiling at me.

I politely smile and say, “Oh…yes, I am!”

Then the man asks, “Are you a teacher?”

I apologetically reply, “Oh…no. I homeschool my kids.”

The man nods his head and says, “Ah.”

But after pausing… he turns back to me and says,

“So you ARE a teacher.”

I look up at his smiling face and chuckle. “Yes, you’re right. I am a teacher.”

Sometimes I don’t know why I still doubt myself and my talents. Of course, I am a teacher.

Not only do I have an extensive college education and a few years of experience in the public education field, but I have also been a home educator for over 12 years now.

I spend countless hours researching home education methods, learning materials, crafts, projects, field trips, community programsโ€”you name it!

I’m always filling notebooks with notes on unit study ideas, school supply lists, book titles, learning objectives, and assessments.

I listen to podcasts, read homeschool articles (including legal info), and watch videos other home educators share.

And I am always at the public library checking out over 60 books at a timeโ€”with just one or two books for my own reading. Lol! ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ“š

I think I just got so used to people scoffing at me or saying something negative when they find out I homeschool my children. I’ll be honestโ€”I’ve let some of that negativity get to me at times.

But this kind man simply saying, “So you ARE a teacher,” was the encouragement I needed that day.

It was a gentle reminder to myself I can feel proud of the quiet, steady work I’m doing with my children each day.

๐Ÿ’œXO

โ€œBe faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.โ€ โ€” Mother Teresa


6-7 chicken nuggets

The new addition to the “6-7” trendโ€”chicken nuggets! ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ”

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday was dreary and gray today. Dense fog and rain off and on. But despite the gloomy weather, the mood was peaceful and bright.

The kids were excited to receive their ashes. They even woke up early (with NO grumbling!) to get ready for Mass. I was shocked! Lol ๐Ÿ˜ฒ(Travis had to work today, so he attended Mass later in the evening.)

Here are a few moments from our Ash Wednesday…

“Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

I thought the “Nail It to the Cross” was a wonderful idea to encourage us to bring our anxiety, doubt, fear, illness, and any life hardships we may be experiencing to the Lord.

Durung the second half of Massโ€”after we received our ashesโ€”Zaya (5) kept asking me if her cross was still on her forehead. ๐Ÿ˜„

She’d look up at me with her big, beautiful blue eyes and whisper, “Can you still see it, Mommy? Is my cross still there?” ๐Ÿ’œ

To be very honestโ€”my last Ash Wednesday observation was about 7 or 8 years ago. Life’s hardships and doubting my faith kept me away for so long.

It feels good to be back home. I am thankful for God’s grace and love.

๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ’œXO

โ€œReturn to the LORD, your God, for gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.โ€โ€” Joel 2:13