Tag: Motherhood

A lot of time in the kitchen today

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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. 😊

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 night—popcorn, pizza, and chocolate cupcakes.

So you know what that means—I’ll be spending more time in the kitchen tomorrow! 😊

💜 XO

Happy Friday

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

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Claudius is sus

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Zhen (13) and I have been reading a kid-friendly retelling of Hamlet. I found this great find at our local public library!

I thought reading Hamlet For Kids (by Lois Burdett) together would be a fun way to introduce Zhen to Shakespeare without overwhelming her with heavy Elizabethan English.

I found this kid-friendly retelling of Hamlet at the public library! 📚🤓

Today, we read the part of the drama when Hamlet sees his father’s ghost and the ghost tells him Claudius killed Hamlet’s father.

“What does prophetic soul mean?” Zhen asked after reading the passage.

I broke it down for her by asking her to think of what a prophet means and what they do.

I explained, “So, this is basically Hamlet’s poetic way of saying, ‘I knew it! I knew it was my Uncle Claudius!’ Hamlet was suspicious of his uncle, and now the ghost has confirmed those suspicions.”

“Ohhhh, so Claudius is sus!” Zhen exclaimed. 🤣

We both started laughing, and I said, “Well…yeah! I guess King Claudius is sus!”

Such a Gen Alpha way to explain Shakespeare! Haha 😄😎 But it made me happy Zhen made the connection!

💜 XO

Happy Friday!

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

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Patterns in the garden

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A trip to the local greenhouse turned into a math discovery as my five year old excitedly ran over to the flower baskets and exclaimed, “Look, Mommy! Patterns!”

Zaya has been learning about patterns in math, so she was amazed to find beautiful patterns on all of the flower petals.

For our homeschool math, we use Math with Confidence and living math books we check out from the public library.

Zaya’s discovery got the attention of her big brother, and soon they were both checking each flower basket to see how many more patterns they could find.

It brought me so much joy to see the kids make a connection between math and nature. 😊🌻

💜 XO

What would the opening sentence of your autobiography be?

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Daily writing prompt
You’re writing your autobiography. What’s your opening sentence?
View all responses

If I were to write my autobiography, I would want it to begin with a reflection of how I strive to live each day—deep in prayer.

Here’s what my opening sentence would be:

I’m a woman who is always praying—sometimes in church, sometimes in the kitchen, and often while driving a minivan full of kids.

I am always finding myself praying, whether the prayers are short or long. And yes, always with a loud house filled with happy kids running around. 😆

Prayer is the quiet thread running through my ordinary days.

💜XO

📸 Feature image credit Isabella Fischer

“So you are a teacher.”

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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 studies—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 see—who I assume to be a grandfather—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 programs—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 time—with just one or two books for my own reading. Lol! 😂📚

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 honest—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.

💜XO

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” — Mother Teresa

Tattoo collector

American traditional tattoos—I love the classic, vintage imagery and bold colors and lines.

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A productive day out to the dentist and library

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Exhausted and inspired. That’s how I’m feeling right now.

Zephaniah (8) had a dentist appointment today. He did great! No tears. The dentist was finished in about 30 minutes.

Zephaniah at the dentist. They give the kids fun sunglasses to wear so the bright light doesn’t bother their eyes. 😎

The kids are really thriving with the new dentist office we switched to (in December). I think it’s because this practice is calmer and quieter.

They don’t feel anxious and overwhelmed at the new dentist like they did at the other dental office we used to go to.

And honestly—same! 💯😂

After the dentist and a cozy lunch at home, we went to the library to checkout new books. I also let the kids play for a while. Whenever we go to the library, we stay for at least two hours.

I spent over two hours (maybe three? 😆) researching and finding the books we need for homeschooling in February and March.

I can’t wait to dive into these new library checkouts! I’m a total geek when it comes to getting new books and materials for our homeschool. 🤓📚😂

But even though I’m excited for the new books we collected, this mama is pooped! 💩😴

We ended up getting home around 7 p.m. (the library closes at 8! Lol) and eating dinner late. It was worth it because today was a happy, productive day! 💯😊📚

Time for bed! 😴

💜XO

P.S.— Here are a few moments from today.

A simple lunch before heading out to the library.
Zaya (5) and Zephaniah (8) pulling the wagon to the library. 📚
The library was hosting a book fair! 📚 I’m thinking about taking the kids back so they can pick ONE book to buy.
Zephaniah checking out the axolotl merch at the book fair. The kids are obsessed with axolotls! 😅
🍕 Zaya (5) was excited to show me this pizza book from the book fair. 😊
Zechariah (10) really wanted to get this book. 🫣 We ended up checking it out at the library. I just don’t understand the kids’ interest in Five Nights at Freddy. It’s so weird to me! Lol

Cozy breakfast

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Lately, Zephaniah (8) has been waking up earlier than usual. (This may also be another sign that spring is on the way.)

When he gets up early like this, he always finds me cooking breakfast in the kitchen. On this particular day, I was making French Toast.

Zephaniah immediately ran to the bathroom to wash his hands. Then, he grabbed his dinosaur apron.

After I tied his apron for him, he picked up the spatula and checked the French Toast cooking in the cast iron skillet.

“It’s not ready yet,” he said to me. He didn’t even say good morning! Lol! 😂

So, for breakfast we had homemade French Toast, eggs, turkey bacon, grapefruit slices, and tea. The kids now LOVE having hot, herbal tea with their breakfast.

Well, except for Zhen (13). She still doesn’t like the way tea tastes. 😏

It makes me happy that I have passed on my love for tea to the children. I think that one day Zhen will change her mind about liking tea. I told her she just needs to find the right blend. That’s how I fell in love with it.

I discovered a small business owner who makes the best tea blends I have ever had in my life! After that, she converted me into a tea lover. 😅🫖😍

I love how our mornings have transitioned into a cozy rhythm of cooking a homemade breakfast and sipping tea together.

💜XO

The old journal

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

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Notes from January

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January always feels like the longest month of the year, especially when you’re stuck in the house because of super cold weather and snowstorms!

In January, we had snowstorm after snowstorm, a week and a half of being sick, extra cozy reading days, and — just to keep things interesting — a squirrel somehow got into our basement. 🐿😂 (It took four days to get the squirrel out!)

January was a long winter month filled with quiet days, warm drinks, and small moments worth remembering. (Photo from one of the snowstorms we had in January.)

Here are a few blog highlights from the month of January.

How was your January?

💜 XO

“Every moment is a fresh beginning.”— T. S. Eliot

Take a deep breath

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Today at Mass, a mom was trying to console her crying toddler. They were in what I call the Quiet Room—a small room separate from the main part of the sanctuary for anyone who needs a quieter space.

Zaya (5) and I just so happened to be in the Quiet Room at the time because it connects to the restrooms.

As the little boy (bless his heart) continued to cry loudly, his mom remained very calm, and she did something that surprised me.

She sat down with her son and in a gentle, loving voice said to him, “Take a deep breath.”

At first, the toddler didn’t comply. He just kept wailing. So, his mom calmly repeated, “Take a deep breath.” This time the little one listened and through his faint sobs I could hear him take a deep breath.

“Breathe in and breathe out,” his mother said. And together, mother and child took deep breaths—in and out. Breathing slowly and mindfully.

I was also silently saying a prayer for the mom and her son. I know exactly what it’s like to have an inconsolable toddler get upset in public (and at home).

After a few deep breaths, the little boy stopped crying, and I smiled to myself and thought, “Well done, Mama!”

It also made me happy to see another mom use deep breaths as a way to calm her child. I do this with my children, too, and the majority of the time it helps the kids calm down.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if more adults would stop and take deep breaths when they are feeling upset?

💜 XO

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” ‐— Thích Nhất Hạnh

Feature image credit: Nienke Burgers.

A little reset

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This week, I’ve been focusing on refreshing the rooms and spaces in the downstairs part of our house. I told Travis I realized I do this about every three months.

I always feel happy and refreshed after I rearrange the furniture and organize any clutter that has accumulated over the months. With a big family like ours (8 people!), it’s hard to avoid any clutter. 😆

Reorganizing our home and rearranging furniture in the rooms helps reduce my anxiety. It also helps me focus and have mental clarity.

ChatGPT says, “people who do this usually process emotions through environment, need visual freshness to feel energized, think spatially, and are creative + intuitive.”

YES! 1,000% this is me!

💜 XO

“Return, my soul, to your rest; the LORD has been very good to you.” Psalm 116:7

6-7 chicken nuggets

The new addition to the “6-7” trend—chicken nuggets! 😂🐔

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