The Good Things In Life

Is Quarantine over yet? I wouldn't know. Not because I am afraid of the virus, but because I am a homebody and being advised to stay home is basically an introvert's dream. Also, I have struggled with the reality of all of life right now, so I am doing what I do best: hiding under a rock and just pretending that none of this is happening. Even still, Quarantine has been sweet in so many ways and there are so many things I do want to remember about this time. Here are just a few of them....

1. DJ working remotely. Being stuck at home with my husband for months on end? Yes please. As anyone knows, he is my favorite and this is my dream. I am basically living my best life over here. Heaven help me the day he has to go back into the office. You're going to find me crying on the floor in the fetal position when that day comes. In the meantime, I am loving living like a 1950's housewife, cooking him breakfast in the mornings and bringing him coffee every day at 2:00. I might be living in the wrong generation, but that's neither here nor there. Also, DJ's work attire is top notch and makes me smile every time. 

2. Heather Robertson is my new best friend. I discovered her work outs during Quarantine and I love, love, love them. Her style is crisp and clean and her form is perfect and easy to follow along. I just completed her 12 week work out plan and loved it so much that I'm doing it again. Also, it is free. FREE. Speaking of working out....between eating paleo and working out during Quarantine, DJ has lost 20 pounds like a champ, while I am over here gaining weight like a chump. All I am saying is that it better be muscle gain. But it might actually be because exactly five minutes after I finished the final work out in the 12 week program, I immediately ate a big plate of french fries. I think I would feel incredibly fit and healthy if it weren't for all the second dinners I have also had over Quarantine.

 

3. Music. Here are the jams I have been enjoying in this season:

• Quarantine Life by Matthew West. This has been my family's theme song all summer. It is hilarious and timely. You can hear it in our Blanco video below. 
• Taylor Swift's new Folklore album is perfection. 
• Ruth B. Old news, I know, but I literally just discovered her last week when we went out to eat on BurgerIM's Karaoke Night and a teenage girl stole the show with her Lost Boys cover. Amazing. I've not stopped listening to Ruth B ever since.
• I'm loving this Classical Pop Cover playlist on Spotify. The Piano Guys make me happy. 

4. Books. Always books. I read a lot anyway but life's biggest break has provided so much more time for my favorite past time. Also, Quarantine broke the library so I had to go and buy a Kindle. Darn. Here are a few of my favorite reads from the lock down:

• The Goodbye Diaries. A heartbreaking mother-daughter memoir journeying through a mother's terminal cancer and her teenage daughter's response to it.
  
• Ribbons of Scarlet. This historical fiction novel is amazing and is unlike any other book I've read before. Divided into six parts, it tells the story of the French Revolution in chronological order through the eyes of six different real life women who influenced the revolution in really significant ways. Told through the eyes of a philosopher, a revolutionary, a princess, a politician, an assassin, and a beautiful and popular actress who all lived in late 1700's France, you truly get a full understanding of the French Revolution from all angles, and develop a deepened understanding of and compassion for all sides- the oppressed and the oppressors, the royals and the commoners, the conservatives and the liberals. This was a really educational, historically accurate novel that was really eye opening. Also, it felt eerily similar to life as we know it today which kind of scared me.
  
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. Insightful, funny, relatable, heart warming. I enjoyed it a lot.
  
• Boys and Sex. A fascinating and heartbreaking read about how pornography and the media are shaping young boys understanding of sex, intimacy, and hooking up. As a momma of three boys, I was only slightly traumatized.
  
• Born Survivors. A historical account of three women who hid their pregnancies and gave birth in concentration camps. Unimaginable. Beautifully told.
  

5. Health! After 15 months of weird, undiagnosed health issues, I am finally almost feeling back to my old self. Doctors spent the past 9 months watching a spot in my brain which just recently came with an official diagnosis: I have an "indolent, lazy, leave me alone" brain tumor. If there was ever a brain tumor to have, this one is it. No further action required, which is the best news I could have received (besides not having a brain tumor at all of course). Also, just in case anyone was wondering what it's like to get a brain scan during a pandemic, just imagine wearing a mask, then putting on a football helmet, and then getting shoved inside a coffin. It wasn't terrifying at all. 

6. House projects! It's been nothing short of eye candy over here with all the house projects DJ has been doing. The work is life giving for him, brings great joy to the kids, and he's a hot hunk to look at when he's doing all that building. He's spent Quarantine well, constructing a fort for the boys, an entry table for me, and now triple bunks for the kids, all things that will be used and cherished for years to come. Hubba, hubba! 

7. Normalcy. There are only three things in my life that feel normal right now: home, church, and nature. Which is good seeing as those are my favorite things. Our church just started a new series on social and political theology which everyone should listen to as it's super timely to life right now and all of humanity in general. And nature has been our greatest reprieve, allowing us time and space to discover creation in the wide open air free of masks and the post-apocalyptic feel that everywhere else seems to have. We've been to the hill country three times since March and try to spend as many weekends as possible hiking local trails and swimming in lakes and rivers. Here is a video from our last trip to Blanco, TX and some pictures of our recent hikes. 

 

 

8. Last but not least, I'm growing out my bangs. If there was ever a time to go through an awkward hair phase, this has been it. If Quarantine was all for this, it would have been enough. 

And there you have it. Some little happy nothings that have made our life sweet in the past five-going-on-eternity months.

xoxo

Thanksgiving Devos for kids

I've been sitting on another blog post for a few weeks and just can't seem to get around to finishing it. Life with three boys and my desire to drink all the coffee and read all the books sometimes trumps my desire to write a blog post for an audience of three. All that to say, I'll get around to it. Maybe. For now, though, I can manage a simple copy/paste. Below is a copy of the Thanksgiving devotionals we have done with our boys the past few years. It is not fully fleshed out or developed and they were written with our specific family in mind, geared towards our boys and the things we want to train, cultivate, and focus on in their little hearts. Regardless, what's mine is yours- please feel free to take it and modify it for your family! Our plan is to do one or two a week between now and Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Day 1:

Read Philippians 2:14. Do all things without grumbling or complaining.

What does it mean to grumble and complain? Take turns acting it out as a family.
What should we do without grumbling or complaining? Just some things? No, all things!

Read Philippians 2:14-15a: Do all things without grumbling and complaining, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God.

Who does this verse say that we look like when we do all things without grumbling and complaining? We look like children of God.
Who are children of God? Those who love and trust Jesus.

Read Philippians 2:14-15 in full: Do all things without grumbling and complaining, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

Who do we look like when we grumble and complain? The world- those who do not know, love, or trust Jesus.
What does this verse say we are like when we do all things without grumbling and complaining? Lights in the world.
What do lights do? Help people to see in the darkness.
What can we help people to see when we give thanks instead of grumbling and complaining? We help them to see more of Jesus. We show them what it is like to trust God and have joy even when it doesn't make sense to.

What kind of things does our family grumble and complain about?
What should we do when we feel like grumbling and complaining? We can tell God how we feel and ask Him to give us grateful hearts. We can ask for His forgiveness and help. We can look for ways to be thankful even when things are not how we want them to be.

What can we be thankful for today?

———

Day 2:

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

What does the word circumstance mean? The things that are happening to us or around us.
When does God tell us to give thanks? In just some circumstances? No, in all circumstances. We should give thanks in everything!
Even when things are hard? Even with things are bad? What about when we are sad, disappointed, angry, etc?? Is God asking us to give thanks even then? Yes! God tells us to be thankful in ALL circumstances— not just the fun, good, and happy ones.
Do you think this sounds easy or hard to do?
What can we do when it feels hard to give thanks in all circumstances? We can ask God to help us!
Why does God say we should give thanks in all circumstances? Because this is His will for us.
What does that mean? That this is something that God wants for us to do.

What are some circumstances that seem hard to give thanks in? How can we give thanks in those circumstances?

When we are sick: Thank you God for making me a strong and healthy boy. Thank you for legs that walk, eyes that see, ears that hear, a brain that thinks, and a body that can play. Thank you that in heaven we will never experience sickness again. Please heal my body and make me well.
 
When we lose a toy: Thank you God for giving me toys. Thank you for being a fun God who created such fun things. Thank you that nothing is hidden from your sight; thank you that you see me and thank you that you see my toy. Please help me to patiently look for it. 
 
When a toy breaks: Thank you God that I got to enjoy that toy while I did. Thank you that I still have many other toys to play with. Thank you that even though our toys get lost or break and do not last, it helps us to remember that you will never change. You are always the same and you will last perfectly forever. 
 
When we don't get what we want: Thank you God that you know what is best. Thank you that you do what is best when it is best. Help me to be patient and to trust your perfect timing. 
 
When we get sent to our room: Thank you God for parents who love me. Thank you that discipline is for my good. Thank you for a cozy room and a bed to sleep in and a home to live in.
 
When we don't get seconds or dessert: Thank you God for providing our food. Thank you that we get three meals a day and snacks in between. Thank you for a full belly and a healthy body. Thank you that you created delicious food and taste buds to enjoy the flavors that you made.
 
When we are mad at our family or friends: Thank you God for my family and friends. Thank you for giving me people to love me, play with me, and take care of me. Thank you for my brothers who are my built in best friends for life. Help me to love and forgive like you do.

What can we be thankful for today?

———

Day 3:

Read Psalm 118:24: This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

What does this verse say that God has made? This day.
How are we supposed to respond to God today? By rejoicing and being glad.
What do you think it means to rejoice? To feel and express great joy and delight.
As a family, take turns acting out different ways we can rejoice in God.
Do you think we should just have joy and delight and gladness on the really good days? No, on all days!
How can we rejoice on days that it is raining out? By thanking God for watering the earth and playing in the rain!
How can we rejoice on days when we have school? By thanking God for minds that think and honoring him with a good attitude and hard work.
How can we be glad on days when we feel disappointed or angry or sad? By finding things to thank God for in the midst of our disappointment, anger, and sadness.
How can we rejoice when it feels like there is nothing to be glad about? We can remember what God has done in the past and thank Him for those things! We can look ahead to what God has promised and thank Him for being faithful to bring about those things. We can ask Him to help us find ways to be thankful today.

What can we be thankful for today?

———


Day 4:

As a family, play Jenga or build a kingdom made of blocks. Read Hebrews 12:18a- Let us be thankful for receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.

What is a kingdom? A kingdom is an area that is ruled by a King, Queen, or President. It is run by the person in charge.
What Kingdom do you think this verse is talking about? God's Kingdom!
What is God's Kingdom? All of heaven and earth. God is in charge of everything!
What does this verse say we should be thankful for? That God's Kingdom cannot be shaken.
What happens when something is shaken? It falls apart or breaks or becomes less sturdy.

Shake your block kingdom or take notice of your Jenga tower as it becomes less sturdy. Talk about what happens as it is moved and shaken and beaten around. Did it stay together or fall apart? Was it strong or weak?

What does this verse mean when it says that God's Kingdom cannot be shaken? That it cannot come undone. It will not fall apart. It is not weak or able to be destroyed. It is strong and sturdy and will last forever.
What can we do on days where we feel shaken, worried, grumpy, scared, or weak? When things seem to fall apart and fail us? We can remember that we are weak but God is strong! We may be shaken, but He never is. We can thank God that His plans, purposes, and ways will never change or fall apart. We can thank God that His Kingdom lasts forever.

What are some things that we know about God's Kingdom that we can give thanks for? That all of His promises are true. That God uses all things (even the bad ones) for our good and His glory. That a day is coming where there will be no more sickness, sadness, tears, or death. That His Kingdom is forever!

What can we be thankful for today?

———

Day 5:

Watch Veggie Tales: Madame Blueberry together as a family. Afterwards, talk through the following questions:

Why is Madame Blueberry sad?
What does she wish she had more of?
Was Madame Blueberry thankful for all that she had?
Can more and bigger and better and nicer and cooler and yummier things bring us true and lasting happiness? Why or why not?
What do you wish you had more of? How do you think you would feel if you had more of it? How would you feel when those things began to break or get lost or taken or run out?
Mom and Dad- talk about a time that you wanted more of something. Did it truly satisfy? Why or why not?

Read Matthew 6:19-21 out loud: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

What does this verse say can happen to the things that we love here on earth? Bugs can eat them, rust can destroy them, people can come and take them away from us.
Is it wrong to love things here on earth? Things like toys and chocolate and family? No! God made those things and gave them to us to enjoy!
What do you think it looks like to love those things rightly? To thank God for those things and to enjoy them, but to remember that those things will not last forever and cannot bring us full happiness. To love the Creator more than the things He created.
What does this verse say we should love even more than the treasures we have on earth? Treasures in heaven.
What do you think that means? Loving Jesus most of all. Trusting Him more than our stuff. Remembering His promises. Thinking about and looking forward to heaven.
Why does the bible say that these things should be our greatest treasure? Because these things last forever! They will never change or go away or break or be taken from us. These are the things that truly satisfy our hearts.

What can we be thankful for today?

———


Day 6:

As a family, read 1 Timothy 6:7-8. For we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
What does this verse say that we bring into this world when we are born? Nothing.
What does this verse say that we take with us when we die? Nothing.
This verse mentions two things that we need. What are they? Food and clothing.
How does this verse say we should respond if we have food and clothing? With contentment.
What is contentment? To be happy and satisfied and to feel like you have enough or all that you need.
Do you believe that you can be happy with just those two things?
What can we do when we notice our hearts not being content with what we already have? We can talk to God about the things we are unhappy with. We can always ask Him for more, but then we can trust that He knows what is best and gives what is best when it is best. We can wait patiently and learn to be content with what we have. We can learn to be okay even if God says no or not right now. We can express thanks for what we have instead of always looking for more.

What can we be thankful for today?

———

Day 7:

Read Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

What does this verse say that we should give to the Lord? Thanks
What do you think it means to give thanks with our whole hearts? To not just say thank you because we are supposed to, but to truly feel thankful and to tell him!
What can we do when we do not feel fully thankful? We can be honest with God and tell him that sometimes it is hard to feel thankful. We can practice saying thank you and ask God to give us hearts that mean it.
What else does this verse tell us to do? Remember all of God's wonderful deeds.
Why do you think it might be important to remember what God has done? Remembering what God has already done for us can help us to feel grateful! When we look back on what God has done, we are reminded of His goodness to us and can trust Him with what is to come.
Play a game of Pictionary and draw pictures of the wonderful things that God has already done for our family. Spend time remembering and talking about those things together.

What can we be thankful for today?

Much love,
courtney

The Good Things in Life

I rarely blog anymore because let's be real... ain't nobody got time for that. But, there's been a lot of happy little things in my life lately, so I'm here to spread the joy. You're welcome.

First up is Joanna Gaines' After School Banana Bread. Or, more appropriate to our home, her All The Time Banana Bread. I won her new Magnolia Table Cookbook when we were at the Silos a few months ago and the first thing we tried from it was this recipe. For a frame of reference, it is less like banana bread and more like Heaven. We replaced the chopped pecans with a (heaping) cup of chocolate chips and have made it almost weekly since. It has changed both my life and the number on my scale and you need to make it stat. Scroll down to the bottom of the blog for the recipe.

Also, Caroline Cobb's album A Home & A Hunger: Songs of Kingdom Hope is on repeat these days. It's one of the most brilliant, beautiful, and creatively composed albums I've ever heard, with each song journeying through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. Eve's Lament is thought provoking, beautiful, and agonizing, We Draw Near is my favorite song on our church's current worship rotation, and He Has Made A Way is my total jam.

You'll have to listen to He Has Made A Way to better appreciate this story, but let's just say that one unnamed little Hofmann boy has the tendency to say "shut your mouth" when annoyed with his brother which is absolutely not allowed in our home, but you better believe I've given them all permission to belt that same exact phrase out loud and proud whenever this song is on. Listen, I get how that might seem like conflicting messages to my children, but I never claimed to be a great mom and I have only the Bible to blame for this. See Exodus 14:14 for reference. But I digress, and back to my original point: just listen and blessed. You won't regret it.

A Quiet Place is the best (okay, the only) movie I have seen recently. I know this movie is old news and that I was basically the last person in America to see it. I am also the last person in America to write about it, but that's because I'm a mom of three small kids so blogging takes the back burner, unless I'm getting paid for it which-- holla!-- sometimes I am. I know that everyone was excited about and amazed by the lack of sound in this movie, and don't get me wrong, that was totally original and deserves serious props. But what I loved about it the most was the underlying presence of strong male headship, traditional family values, and faith. Call me old fashioned, but the fact that John Krasinski not only played, but created and wove, a gentle yet strong husband and father figure into his film was a beautiful thing that is rarely shown in Hollywood these days. His character demonstrated leadership, provision, protection and sacrifice; couple those things with wholesome family dynamics and prayer (both well done and without being cheesy!) and I was totally and pleasantly surprised. Well done, John. Well done.

Move over, DJ... I have new crushes in my life and their names are Sally Clarkson and Paul David Tripp. I know, I know.... how have I survived Evangelicalism this long without drinking their juice? But here I am, probably decades late to the scene, and I am soaking up their wisdom and grace like a fountain.

The honest truth is that I stopped reading parenting books a long time ago because their do's and don't's of how to raise children sent me into a tailspin of panic over all the things I was doing wrong and all the millions of little changes I felt they were requiring me to make. It was overwhelming and defeating because my personality just can't consume parenting books with a grain of salt; I tend to take them as truth and they become the ultimate standard for all the ways I am failing miserably and could never add up. I was tired of trying to follow all of the rules so I did what any wise person would do: I threw the baby out with the bathwater and swore off all parenting books forever. Really though, I was just too scared to read them. Fear had me believe that if I opened up the books and read what was on their pages that I would be exposed as a fraud and a failure and I wanted nothing to do with that so, I just stopped reading them altogether.

But then, a good friend of mine recently prodded me to two amazing resources: the book Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson and the God-Centered Mom Podcast with Paul David Tripp. Let me just tell you that I have never been more encouraged in my journey of mothering. I think the reason I loved these two resources so much is because rather than promising a system of fool-proof ways to train my children, both Sally and Paul encouraged and equipped me to retrain my heart in response to them instead. And wow, what a perspective shift that has been! I have a lot more to say on this in another post to come, so stay tuned; but for now I encourage any momma out there to go read & listen to these two resources.

Last but not least.... I have developed perhaps my first ever Guilty Pleasure: The Bachelor Franchise, and yes I am ashamed of this. You guys, this show is a total train wreck and there’s nothing holy about it but really, it’s all Henry’s fault that I’m watching it to begin with. And by "I", I obviously mean "we" because DJ is watching it too and if I’m going down, I’m most certainly bringing him down with me.

Here's how it happened: When I was pregnant with Henry, we were watching the much more legit and socially acceptable show called The Crown. But as my due date neared, we started season two and what with the English history and Royal traditions and British accents and all, I was having a hard time keeping up and I felt like I was going to need a more mindless option once I had a newborn on my hands. Some girlfriends of mine were getting together for some Bachelor viewing parties and though I never attended, I most certainly caught the bug from afar and I'm having a hard time bouncing back. The franchise is totally sneaky and basically forces you to watch all of their shows against your own will. I mean, I started watching in Season 22 and then Arie dump Becca so she became the next Bachelorette and then she dumped Colton so now he’s the next Bachelor and then all the other losers end up on Bachelor in Paradise or Dancing With The Stars and before you know it, you feel like you know them and like they are your crazy BFFs and you can’t stop watching and who have I even become?! It is an embarrassing shame, I tell you. And, seriously, what are even these peoples lives?! Somehow every contestant from every season is all best friends with one another and they just get to be famous together and hang out all the time at all the fancy things they get invited to and post unnatural and awkwardly posed pictures of their perfect selves online and I just don’t even understand what all is happening or how their lives work, but I apparently stalk all of their Instagrams because I just can’t not.

Oh! One more! Good books. This has been such a good reading year for me. This post is already long enough, so I'll just leave you with a few links and tell you to go read all of these now. These have been my favorite reads of the year so far:

Different by Sally & Nathan Clarkson
A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold
America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
Educated by Tara Westover
We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson

And there you have it... a little dose of happy. I actually have a few blogs up my sleeve, so until next time.... maybe.

love, courtney

_________

Joanna Gaines' After School Banana Bread:

• Nonstick baking spray, for the pan
• 8 TBSP (or 1 stick) salted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 very ripe bananas, mashed, yet chunky
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or chocolate chips (again, and it cannot be emphasized enough that a heaping cup of chocolate chips is what makes this recipe the glory that it is)
• 2 TBSP granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with nonstick baking spray or line with parchment paper.
2. In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla with the paddle attachment until well blended. (You can also do this with an electric mixer.) Add the bananas until combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat just until combined. Add the chocolate chips or pecans and mix until combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the sugar over the top.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester or toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Let the bread cool slightly in the pan on a rack. 
6. Slice and serve warm with butter. Like, slather it in butter. Spread it generously all over the top and then cut your piece down the middle and lather it on the inside too. You cannot add too much butter. Did I mention that I wonder why I have cellulite?

Forty Before Forty: An Update

Today is the eve of my thirty fourth birthday!! Old lady over here, ya'll. I'm finding wiry gray hairs, I get winded just walking up the stairs, and my hips hurt simply from existing. I may not be "thirty and flirty" but I'm obviously aging well over here. All that to say, turning another year older caused me to remember the Forty Before Forty list I created a few years back. You know, that intentional list I created and then promptly forgot about as soon as it was written. Curious as to what I may have unintentionally crossed off that list in the past two years, I just pulled it up for a refresher. And, I'm a little impressed with myself, ya'll! I've actually done more than one of them! And so, in honor of my birthday tomorrow and in hopeful anticipation of what the next six years will bring, here is the progress I have made thus far. *My progress, or lack thereof, is denoted in red.

Before I turn 40, I hope to....

1. Always be reading a book. I started this year and it has been so good for my brain. Check! My friend Andrea got me back into reading a few years ago and I am so thankful. In this season of life where I am not working and spend the majority of my time with little people, it has been a way for me to grow and learn and feed my mind and escape into someone else's shoes for a bit. Here are my three favorite books since setting this goal two years ago, one from each year and each a different genre:

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Every Secret Thing by Patricia Campbell Hearst

America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

2. Take a big trip for our 10 year anniversary. It's next year. TEN YEARS. I feel like such a grown up. We did this! We went to Chicago! And we ate charcuterie and drank wine and rode on the top of a double decker bus in 19 degree weather and it was bliss. 

 
3. Grow our family. Both by birth and through adoption. I pretty much want all the babies. So far I'm three for three, but don't be too impressed. My goal setting accomplishments start to decline here real quick. But as for this one...Meet Henry. He's happy and easy and the most smiley baby I have ever known. Talk of more is not completely off the table.

4. Mentor and be mentored. Any takers? I invested exactly zero effort in this one, but I still desire it. I need some wisdom, and I have a very little bit to dole out too.

5. Start my own business. I have three ideas up my sleeve... I just need to go for it. I think I also need money to do this, but I'll just cross that bridge when I get there. Those three ideas? They still exist in my mind, plus two more. And they're pretty good ideas if I do say so myself. But if I understand correctly, it takes some initiative to start a business and I have very little of that, so in my mind they will stay.

6. Get my nose pierced. Again. Because you're only young once and I'm running out of time. I still want this! Maybe tomorrow, ya'll. Probably not. But maybe.

7. Chop off my hair. Let's be honest, I don't like change. I keep the same haircut for no less than ten years because I'm scared to do anything drastic. But I think it would be fun to go all out so I'm working up the nerve. I did it! Okay, maybe I didn't exactly get as drastic of a cut as I had hoped because home girl over here doesn't do change that well, but I did cut off several inches and that felt like a big deal. General consensus? I like the feel of a fresh cut, but I think I prefer the ease of longer hair. 

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

8. Go to Asheville. I am in love with this place that I have never even been. Girl trip, anyone?

9. Write a children's book. And a grown up book. One time, I started a children's book on the Notes app in my phone. And then I stopped. So, nope, no progress here.

10. Learn to embrace imperfection. And messy hair. Working on it! I have really, really tried to embrace my natural hair, which is both imperfect and messy. I don't love it and it takes humility to not look done up or feel pretty all the time, but it's just more practical in this season of my life.

11. Grow in confidence as a momma. It is the hardest, most beautiful job I have ever done. I've never had to plead with the Lord more to protect my kids from my mistakes. But I also want to learn to give myself grace and to be okay with my kids seeing me fail. It's good for me and for them. Perfect mommas don't need Jesus and Lord knows that I surely do. Slowly but surely, ya'll. This year I have seen the Lord grant so much freedom and grace. But I still find myself to be a bit too harpy at times and that's not ideal. Momming. It's a daily dose of sanctification.

12. Take a cooking class. I think a more realistic goal would be for me to continue being friends with Julie and Lydia, the two most gourmet cooks I know. I'll be sure to eat good food with zero effort of my own and that sounds like a better idea than the first.

13. Go on a Fall Foliage bed & breakfast road trip. Still a dream.

14. Napa Valley vacay. Enough said. Also, still a dream.

15. See the Northern Lights. I'm actually kinda iffy on this one. I've heard they're not all they're chalked up to be. Meh. I think I am losing interest. But this year I have become fascinated with US History and I think I really want to take a tour up the east coast to see some of our nation's most historic sites, specifically Monticello.

16. Take a fitness class at a trampoline park. I still really want to do this. It might help me lose those last 5 pounds of baby weight. Lord knows the chocolate I eat each day isn't helping.

17. Retake our wedding pictures for our Ten Year. First of all, our original pictures suck. We didn't even get them until our 4th year of marriage (and here is the super sweet video of the time DJ finally tracked them down and surprised me with them). I just need to decide if I want to trash the dress or just get all dressed up and include the kids to show how our marriage and family has changed and grown in ten years. Or maybe I'll do both, because how fun would that be?! Welp, this didn't happen. In fact, we have almost zero pictures of the five of us. Time to pull out that selfie stick we purchased.

18. Have a prom party. Because my birthday is in prom season and because once you're married, it kinda feels like you will never again have the opportunity to get all dressed up ever. There are no balls or galas in my life and I want to get dressed up, dangit! The whole shibang. Fancy gown, professional hair and make up, a limo, a group of friends and a fancy dinner. Oh yea, and maybe dancing, too. This is still my dream. I think I'll ring in 40 with this one. It will be the world's most epic party.

19. Get Moses' name changed on his social security card. This is actually beyond my control but I've been working on it for almost a year and it very well may be the end of me. This happened! Thank you, government.

20. Expose our family to the global church in our own backyard. We've always talked about how one Sunday a month we'd like to visit churches of other ethnic and denominational backgrounds in order to help to keep both the nations and the Church tangibly before us. I hope we start doing this soon. I still love the thought of this, but I equally don't want to miss a Sunday service at our church so we have yet to implement this. It's a beautiful idea though, huh?

21. Create a capsule wardrobe. Or better yet, have someone do this for me. I still want to do this, but it turns out that it takes money to do this and I'm a cheapo, so there you have it.

22. Find a realistic & healthy balance with social media. Because this is always a battle for me. Eesh. After years of struggling with this, I am finally finding my balance. I have been on social media very little this year and it has been good for my heart.

23. Go to a Korean Spa. Actually, get DJ to go to one. He's too modest for his own good. I'm not sure the idea of public nudity still sounds appealing to me, or why it ever did. But spas in general? Yes please. And, I have started going to get reflexology done and that right there is a way more affordable and much better massage experience than, say, Massage Heights or Massage Envy. I am sold.

24. Move. Or learn to love Garland. No, wait. Move. I have the exact same hot and cold relationship with this one.

25. Be able to think about and decide on my kids' education without hyperventilating and getting sweaty pits. I did this! We have found our niche with Classical Conversations and it has been one of my greatest joys to teach and learn alongside Moses this past year.

26. Stop eating dessert every day. Just kidding. This little habit started the day Jones was born and it's a little gem that I hope never goes away. I just love chocolate too much.

27. Discover a creative outlet. My perfectionism tends to be a killjoy in this arena. Hmmm. Nope, I haven't done this one.

28. Learn to cut my own bangs. This might not seem like a big deal, but I typically refrain from doing things I can fail at. Especially when that failure is on my face. (I actually cut my bangs for the very first time like two weeks ago. It wasn't the best ever. But, it wasn't awful either.) I decided to grow them out instead. Easier and with much better luck than taking scissors to my own hair.

29. Go to a Happy Hour Live event! Yes please. I basically have a girl crush on Jamie Ivey. I didn't do this, but I did go to her book tour! And with new girl friends! I was really branching out with both things, and I'm so glad I did. 

30. Join a book club. This has been one of my happiest things this past year! Grown up time! Conversation about books! Gourmet food! And girls who are becoming my most favorite people! What's not to love? 

Book Club Christmas Party. We did a Blind Date With A Book gift exchange and ate all this food. It was not disappointing.

Discussing Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan. One of my favorite Book Club reads to date.

Discussing Sourdough by Robin Sloan. I didn't love the book, but we ate actual homemade Sourdough from a 200 year old starter and laughed our arses off this night and it was one of the best meetings yet.

31. Care less about being loved and accepted. Care more about being loving and accepting. A daily battle, with little progress. I am a sinner, afterall.

32. Learn to be okay with a simple Christmas. It's easy to buy into the hooplah. To feel the pressure to spend a lot of money and to buy a lot of things. But honestly? It stresses me out every year and it can kinda be a killjoy. I want Christmas to be about our sweet little traditions. About baking and sharing meals and time together and making memories. Some gifts, yes, but not many and not for everyone. And I want to be okay with that. I think the more babies we have around Christmas, the less we feel capable of spending all of our time and all of our money on all the people and all the things around the holidays. We are learning to feel free in this. We also had the best and most simplest Christmas this past year, with a new pace that I hope we can duplicate every year. You can read about it in the last paragraph of this post.

33. Take a ballet class. I'm being serious. Not this, but I did take a barre class and that was fun! 
 
34. Expand & diversify my friend group. It's all too easy to stick to people who look and act and think just like you. But there is value and beauty and much to learn from in the differences too and I hope to see this more in my life. This hasn't necessarily happened the way that I wanted it to. But I am learning that the new friends in my life have their own eccentric and eclectic flares and that they are interested in and knowledgeable about things I would never have cared to learn about if not for them. Their influence has helped me to broaden my horizons and for that I am thankful.

35. Somehow end up on one of the Ellen In Your Ear pranks. Those things are hilarious. This is completely out of my control, but it should still happen.

36. Learn how to be girly. There's more to fixing hair than just a straightener or a pony tail, but I'm just not sure what. And accessorizing seems fun minus the part about not wanting to spend my money on accessories. And, I want to smell good! Oh and rompers and wedges and high waisted swim suits and shirts that tuck into pencil skirts. Can someone please devote a weekend to teaching me about all these things?! I tried this. I bought all the lotions and hair products and perfumes and trendy boots and super cute accessories and it's fun at times but I think when it comes down to it, I'm just the more casual type and that's okay. My friend Emily from Montana says that where she comes from, the girls don't get dolled up and they just wear jeans and hoodies everywhere they go. Which basically means that I need to move there.

37. Go to the airport on a whim and purchase the cheapest out of state plane ticket. As long as that place is somewhere fun and not lame. Spend the weekend enjoying said city. Me and DJ talk about this often. One day we will do it.

38. Take a photoshop class. Who even put this on my list? Why is it even on here? What is Photoshop? I have a feeling this is on here because I need it for number 5 (starting my own business), but I seriously have no clue what Photoshop is or why I want to learn about it. So I'm taking this off and in it's place I'll put.... learn to garden.

39. Learn to strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. People are fascinating and I want to know all their stories. My friend Mackenzie is great at this. So is Brandon Stanton. I basically want to be him because Humans of New York is fascinating. Nope. I am growing more introverted and socially awkward with each passing year.

40. Figure out who on earth I should vote for in this election and truly be at peace with my decision. I did it! I voted! For the first time ever and in what felt like our nation's most complicated election in the history of the US. I was proud of myself and pleased with my vote, nevermind the fact that my candidate came nowhere close to winning.



And there you have it! I think I have fared pretty well in that I have accomplished at least 10 of these, with a few more ones having been somewhat ambiguously accomplished as well. And, I think there are a number of things I'd like to add, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, hmm?

Here's to 34!
courtney

The books we would be enjoying if we were actually reading

I know how much I say I love reading with my kids, but let's be real... reading is slim pickings these days. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but with the start of home school this past Fall, reading kind of took the back burner. That feels a little opposite of home schooling to me and is something I want to better incorporate into our school day. Oh yea, and we just had a baby, so there's that. Needless to say, reading is just not happening near as much as I'd like to pretend that it is.

Buuuuut, we are reading a tiny bit. And as one who always loves to give and receive book recommendations, I wanted to share the things our family is loving right now. Please share your favorite books with me too because we are always looking for new reads.

 In no particular order, here are the books I am loving reading with my boys:

 

Yum! Yuck! by Linda Sue Park. An endearing read that teaches how different kids from around the world say various people sounds. Our boys have a blast hearing me try to pronounce the different languages presented in this book and they squeal with laughter when we they discover the English word that is being said. A super fun & engaging read for both my 2 and 5 year olds. Plus, it's written by a Korean American author. Score.

The Hello Atlas by Ben Handicott. Okay, this book is amazing. I am old fashioned and nerdy and am not one to typically use a whole lot of technology with my kids, but I soaked up this super engaging book + app pair. The book looks at kids from all over the world and if you use the accompanying app you can listen to and learn how to say common greetings in over 100 different languages. What's even better than me trying to pronounce the languages in Yum! Yuck!? Actually hearing how they are said and using them correctly thanks to The Hello Atlas app. We may be a tad partial, but we had the most fun listening to the Korean child's greetings. Duh.

This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe. Confession: I actually have not read this one with my kids, despite the fact that it is sitting in plain daylight in our library bin. I'll blame Baby #3. But me and DJ did look through it on our library date (nerd alert) and we both commented on how awesome it was and how we actually wanted to read it sans kids. It looks at the lives of seven real life kids from around the world and in the end shows how similar and united we are with all of humanity despite having different languages, cultures, traditions, and daily rhythms. I loved getting a glimpse at the lives of real kids from around the world. This is a neat read for sure.

God's Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell. Oh my goodness, me and Moses are loving this book. The gospel is clearly presented all the while including a diversity angel that is often left out of other children's books on the gospel. The illustrations are stunning and beautiful and so clearly depict the author's intent. We have soaked up this precious read a lot over the past few weeks.

My ABC Bible Verses by Susan Hunt. A really great little devo that we have been enjoying as a family. I have loved watching DJ read this with our boys and lead them into scripture memory. What a stud.

Found by Sally Lloyd Jones. If you love The Jesus Storybook bible by Sally Lloyd Jones, then you will love this gem of a read. It's based on Psalm 23. The words and illustrations are beautiful and captivating. My boys have been going to bed with crazy energy lately and this book seems to calm the room before tucking them in for the night. Just like Psalm 23 is intended to do, right?

What Do You Do With A Problem? by Kobi Yamada A cute read that helps you to see the potential and opportunities that can come from the problems and upsets that life will inevitably bring. Plus, the author and main character are both Asian. Bonus.

My New Baby by Annie Kubler. I read this book for Jones as we anticipated the arrival of Henry True. Never underestimate a book without words. Jones is only just now getting to the point where he wants to sit and read a book, but he would stop and listen to this one with such diligent intent and concentration as I explained to him the story behind each picture. He truly soaked up the illustrations and I could watch his eyes and face and mind as he sought to comprehend all that the book was preparing him for. In fact, I see it more even now--- with Henry here in the flesh, Jones continues to refer back to this little book and all that it prepared him for. It's pretty neat to see how a book without words can truly teach so much.

And, here is a book we don't have but I want so bad for Jones. Good theology on a toddler's level? And beautiful pictures? Yes please:

Here are a few audio books that Moses is loving lately:

Disney's Pete's Dragon. Though the movie is geared towards kids 7+, we had Moses listen to the book several times before deciding to watch it as a family. I love getting to watch stories come to life for him and it is pretty incredible to see how much his little brain comprehends and absorbs spoken word. He was able to articulate what the story was about and when we sat down to watch the movie together, he was basically our little spoiler alert who told us everything that was going to happen moments before it did. Also, I loved the new version of this story. I remember loving this movie as a kid, but the modern version is even better than I remember.

 

The Magic Tree House Knight At Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne. Moses loves the Magic Tree House series and they has been a fun way to continue introducing themes he has learned in school this year... from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to Abraham Lincoln, Mary Pope Osborne incorporates these historical events and figures into fun stories that he enjoys. She has also been the one to teach him about all things Knights and Ninjas and Dragons because I am not a boy and don't know squat about those things. I got this title specifically because I saw that the North Texas Performing Arts Center in Plano was putting on a production of this book and I wanted him to see the characters come alive. We go next Saturday if anyone wants to join us!

Lastly, he has been listening to the second book in the Rush Revere series. Here's the deal: I actually don't know anything about Rush Limbaugh other than that he is pretty controversial and people either love him or hate him. I have zero opinion because I don't know who he is, but the reviews I've seen on his children's series have been positive and it sounds like a sweet story that leaves out the tone and controversy that he is otherwise often critiqued for. What I like about this series is that they seem to be helping Moses connect the dots with things he has learned at school- from the pilgrims to the Boston Tea Party and other things that sparked the American Revolution. Bonus.

I might not be reading much with my kids, but I'm making sure I read on my own because I like my sanity. Here are my first few reads of the year:

Different by Sally and Nathan Clarkson. I basically have a woman crush on Sally Clarkson and while her and her son, Nathan, claim this isn't really a parenting book, there are a ton of little nuggets that I took away and have implemented in my momming since reading it. Sally's words of wisdom always leave me thinking and encouraged and challenged.

A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold. You guys. I just finished this book and it was so good. For some reason I wasn't expecting much from it, but I really enjoyed it as a memoir and it's one of the better books I have read in a while. I was fascinated and heart broken as I read the story of Sue's grief in the aftermath of her son's participation in the Columbine school shooting. Highly recommended. 

Small Great Things by Jodi Piccoult. I had a few people recommend this one to me and though I am only just now starting it, I am already really enjoying it and am eager to see what happens. 

Last but not least and while we are on the subject of books, I just became an Usborne consultant! I have loved learning more about this company, and as a home school momma am super impressed with the quality of their educational reads and how closely they correspond with the curriculum I am doing with Moses. They have some really great products that are super engaging and informative for little minds! If anyone has made it this far down in my post and would like to host an online party in January, you can receive double the free and half priced books that hostesses normally get at any other point in the year. My first party was super easy and fun and I earned $240 in free books that I got to use to stock up our home library. It's really simple-- you just invite your family and friends into the party and participate the night of the event, and I do the rest! Text or message me if you are interested and feel free to follow along in my personal VIP page for Usborne news, updates, and promotions! 

Happy reading!
courtney