whatever

on instagram a few days ago i asked for topics to share about here on the blog.
i love hearing from you!

some topics mentioned were:

– parenting tips for survival and sanity with schedules
– parenting teen girls
– dealing with mean girls
– how do we handle kids with phones and social media
– parenting regrets
– parenting big kids and staying close as they grow up
– what are your favorite things
– favorite fashion if money was no object
– Organizing photos/storage/printing
– what is your decorating inspiration
– how’s supper club so far?
– how was the happy hour with jamie ivey
– furniture painting tips
– how did you start craft weekend
– what devotional do you like and tell us about your bible time – how can you focus?
– can you share about your best, most loyal girlfriends?
– food choices, healthy eating and fitness
– dealing with Post Pinterest Inferior Syndrome (that was a cute one!)
– how do you balance life, work, hobbies
– what is your next house project
– what made you want chickens
– favorite family meals
– what blogs & IGs do you follow
– what are you reading

so… i am going to touch on a few here today.
and hit others soon.

most of the comments were asking to see our house.
gosh… you guys are very kind.
right now christmas decor is put away and nothing has taken it’s place.
so i am working on that.
we hung the barn doors up and i am working on how to make it pretty again.
i promise to show it as soon i do.

and the rest of the house.

if you are new-ish here you may not know there is a category in the sidebar for home decorating.
you can see all the post that have ever been tagged in that category.

How do you like living in a more modern house vs the vintage?
well… i don’t want to sound ungrateful in any way here so please don’t think i am.
i love this 14 year old house and i’ll tell you why.
i like having a garage.  i like the big cement driveway.  i like that it was built solid, sturdy and reliable.
i like that there is a tornado shelter! i like that all the windows work.  i like having a sink in the laundry room.  i love our block and location on our block. i like the gas fireplace! i like large open space.  i like dry wall vs. plaster.  i like i like that the plumbing & electrical is not even two decades old.  it’s a really great house! i tell craig how much i like it here all the time.

BUT… if i could have an old white two story farmhouse with land and a view of sunsets and pretty fields with chickens all around the garden and an old porch with a swing…. i’d pick that in a heart beat.

but with old houses comes old plumbing and probably a lagoon.  Also drafty windows and doors and broken steps and paint that needs stripping and re-painting. it would most likely need new bathrooms and/or kitchen.  there would be wallpaper to strip and I’m sure there would be trim that needed to be painted white.  😉  There would be much more work than this new house is.
And i would still choose that over the new.

BUT as 40 year olds with 5 kids, 2 jobs and a non-stop schedule AND another house… the newer, more reliable house is the best option right now.

and maybe ever.  (cause we aren’t getting any younger)

What is your morning routine?
oh girls.
this one made me crack up.
because i am THE WORST about mornings.
and about routines!
i love sleep so much it’s not even funny.
but i hate to go to bed at night… i’m a total night owl.
it’s not falling asleep that i love… it’s the not getting up part.
summer break with big kids is the best thing ever!  sleeping until 10 or 11? every day?! HEAVEN!
but i have kids in school now so i have to get up each morning.
we wake up around 6:30-6:45.
i make sure everyone got up with their alarm and i make coffee.
then i sit there and stare at nothing and drink the coffee while they get ready for school.
i say things like “did you put your homework in your bag yesterday?”  “are you bringing a coat?” “tie your shoes please”
but really i have trained them to be VERY self sufficient.
they don’t actually need me to be awake but obviously i want to see them and help if needed.
then at 7:30 they leave and run down the block to catch the bus.
and just two weeks ago scott started driving so he leaves a little after them and drives himself & sean to school.
after that… if i have nothing going on that morning… i go back to sleep!
then i get up and drink more coffee and wake up real slow.

probably not the inspiring go-getter routine you were hoping to hear… ha ha ha!

BUT i have a routine that i WISH i was great at and that i am attempting to try.
5:30 – workout
6:30 – coffee and quiet time
7:30 – shower
8:30 – have a productive day
hmmm…. it sounds horrible.
truly awful!
wish me luck.
it starts in the morning… i’m trying not to cry already.
i saw this blog post on pinterest and thought it was right on!
i’m going to try some of her tips.

being a grown up is dumb.

and last for today:
How do you maintain your house… no clutter, no piles?

well…. there ARE piles and clutter here.
but not crazy amounts i guess. (the laundry room doesn’t count)
house work is not my strength.
my husband is the clean one and the one who keeps things neat.
i am not a slob but i don’t have a binder with cleaning charts and a schedule either.
i am able to be pretty chill about all of it… clutter and mess do not undo me.
i have no trouble going to bed with a sink full of dirty dishes or unfolded laundry.

i’d say there are 3 things that help keep it under control.
1. the kids clean up their rooms and bathroom on saturdays.
that is their space and their responsibility… i do not get involved.

2. our kids alternate loading and unloading the dishwasher
(meaning i don’t have to do dishes every single day)
we started this as young as kindergarten for unloading.
right now my boys take turns loading the dishwasher and the girls unload.

3. i have a cleaning service.
the woman who cleans for me is absolutely awesome!
i spend several hours picking up the house in the morning on the day she comes so she can deep clean.
having professional help has kept the clutter & chaos down immensely.
she cleans the main floor of the house except for annie’s room and the guest room.
that means the kitchen, dining, living room, hallway, bathroom, my bedroom and bathroom.
i know that it’s not the answer for everyone to have a cleaning service… but i decided about 3 years ago that FOR ME it was absolutely worth the money because the keeping up with the housework had gotten to be too much for me with everything else going on.
i hated it!
i hated thinking about it, worrying about it and of course DOING it.
and i hated that i couldn’t keep up.
so for me – a cleaning service was the answer.
it has made my life easier and it is my favorite!
i am grateful and it’s freed me up to get other things done during that time!
AND she’s so much faster than i ever was.
when my kids were babies and toddlers it didn’t feel like the best use of money because little ones are tornadoes of mess 24/7.
but with bigger kids who are gone all day and many evenings… it is totally worth it!

thanks for all the topic ideas!

and guess what i’m going to do now… yeah.
another basketball game.

🙂