It has been almost a year that Tristan has been home. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by and how much has changed over this past year for Tristan as well as our family. God has richly blessed us beyond our imaginations over this last year that only He can receive all the glory.
DNA...
We may not have the same DNA, but he is SO my son. He is loud, full of energy, non-stop, funny, always smiling, stubborn, inquisitive, tender hearted, constantly curious, and always on the go.
I have ALWAYS loved outdoor fireplaces. They are dreamy looking and just downright awesome. We have this massive space in our backyard and we are starting to draw up plans and pull together ideas for doing a little DIY. So here are some ideas I've pulled off Pinterest.
"Mom, do you think Tristan will know I am his sister when we meet?"
Watching Brooklynn naturally fall into the roll of "jie-jie" (big sister in Chinese) has been one of my greatest joys to watch. She was born to be a sister.
One of the many "lies" I have heard said by stay-at-home moms, is that their life, dreams, desires, goals, fitness, travel, passions, etc. have to be placed on hold because kids are in the picture. That their life has to stop to raise children. Their place is on the floor playing pat-a-cake and engaging with their children every waking moment and that their passions need to be placed on hold "for a season" to solely raise their children. Even in the 21st century I have heard this said. And I HAVE to debunk that and say: THAT IS NOT TRUE.
Not sure about you, but when it is hot outside. I don't have much of an appetite to eat heavy things. Give me light, fresh, and clean eating!
For a long time I found myself falling into the trend of "busy." That somehow the busier I was, the more successful, and some how "important" I was. Which is all really a lie. In fact, when people would ask me how I was doing my answer was always "busy" or maybe I would change it up and say "super busy."
We have a weekend tradition of making waffles, pancakes, or french toast on the weekends. And now that little Mr. is here, I want him to be able to join in on the fun as well too. Sure, I can purchase Gluten Free waffles from the store. But I would much rather make them at home with wholesome ingredients vs. the junk they stick in the others.
I have heard it said from parents that they don't know where to start when it comes to teaching their children about God at home. I get it. There's a lot of information out there, a lot of devotionals that, honestly, cheapen the Gospel or over simplify the awesomeness of God.
I thought I would share a few things that we have really loved and have and currently are using
For the last 10 years I have been a business entrepreneur. I worked hard to build something out of nothing and was blessed to see all of my goals for my business come to light. Every single one of those goals have been accomplished, which is huge for me. And I am so forever grateful.
I love to bake. Like, love it.
We spent some time with some dear friends and I decided to bring some scones with me for everyone to enjoy. Well, since little man is a gluten free low protein vegan, he is unable to eat the scones I baked for everyone. So I decided to try my hand at some PKU friendly scones for him!
It was a year ago today I saw your face. I had seen so many faces up to that point... And at that moment your chubby cheeks, adorable smile, and precious eyes caught mine. You made me giggle and say:
"That's my kid..."
It was a bold and scary sentence to say.
Finding ways to decorate walls has often times left me stumped. I love photo walls, but it can look cluttered. I love art, but I get bored easily and big pieces of art feel like a big commitment.
4 years ago, when the idea of homeschooling first started rolling around in my head, it felt like a Mt. Everest. Something that was impossible. That would be too difficult. We'd hate each other by the end of the day... All the thoughts of "I can't because..." were rolling around in my head.
Build. Crash. Build. Crash and Repeat.
I love watching him discover new things. His mind never stops and he always wants to know how things work. He loves all things vehicle related and loves to point them out with an enthusiastic yell "CAH!"
I think that for the mass majority of mom's we find fitting in fitness to be hard. Much our days (well at least mine anyway) are filled with so many other things that just going to the bathroom ALONE is a huge accomplishment. (And all the mom's who work from the home with little ones say AMEN!)
Gluten Free
Vegan
Keto
Paleo
Atkins
Vegetarian
Volumetrics
Dairy Free
Peanut Free
These are just a FEW of the dietary needs among people today. But what a world we live in! Especially here in the United States, which accommodates hundreds of eating habits, trends, and needs!
Y'all, I have GRAND PLANS every spring to clean out every nook and cranny of my house and purge things not needed. And granted, I would say we do a pretty decent job. But that is mainly because disorganization drives me nuts and old broken toys make me crazy...
I am not a professional home interior decorator by any means, but I love to decorate and do DIY projects and make old pieces new again. This has been in my blood LONG before HGTV has been around. It started with watching my mom's love for antiques and...
I like to dabble in a lot of "arts." If I see something that looks fun to do, I'll try it. Even if I completely suck at it. Because, why not? No one has to see if the outcome was an epic failure.
