I haven’t used Claude much, and so was surprised by, and impressed with, the fancy packaging it created for the game. The questions it came up with were also pretty good, but I edited them to be even better — and added a patriotic song in between each round. The resulting trivia game and singalong kept us occupied for a good two hours in the car, and even though our semiquincentennial has passed, I wanted to offer it to you! Save it for your next road trip, save it for America’s 251st birthday, or do it around the table tonight.

We made this to fit our family exactly (with questions aimed at a 4-year-old, an 8-year-old, a 10-year-old, and an adult), but feel free to flex it depending on your kids and their exposure to history. And also, don’t worry if your kids don’t know all the answers — ours definitely didn’t. These are things we think are worth knowing, though, and a trivia game was a fun way to pass them along.

I’ve included the questions below in plain text, as well as the intra-round song suggestions. The link to a playlist with all the songs mentioned is here and the interactive Claude game is here! (Hopefully it works!)

Round 1:

4yo: What three colors are on the American flag? Red, white, and blue 
8yo: How many stars are on the American flag, and what do they represent? 50, the current 50 states
10yo: How many stripes are on the American flag, and what do they represent? 13, the original 13 colonies
Adult: Who is traditionally credited with sewing the first American flag? Betsy Ross

Song: “You’re a Grand Old Flag”

Round 2:

4yo: In what year did the US declare independence? 1776
8yo: What document officially declared the colonies free from Britain? The Declaration Of Independence 
10yo: Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson
Adult: Which Enlightenment philosopher’s ideas on natural rights most directly shaped the Declaration’s opening arguments? John Locke (shout-out to my fellow Lost fans)

Song: “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie

Round 3:

4yo: What country did America gain its freedom from? England (or Great Britain)
8yo: What event involved colonists dumping tea into Boston Harbor to protest a tax? The Boston Tea Party
10yo: What famous phrase summed up colonists’ anger about being taxed without a voice in Parliament? “No taxation without representation”
Adult: Who was the ruler of Great Britain at the time of the American Revolution? King George III

Song: “You’ll Be Back” by Jonathan Groff from Hamilton

Round 4:

4yo: Who do we call the brave people who fought for America’s freedom? Patriots (or soldiers)
8yo: Who was the general who led the Continental Army? George Washington
10yo: What do we call the colonists who sided with the British? Loyalists
Adult: What two Massachusetts towns were the sights of the first battles of the Revolutionary War? Lexington and Concord

Song: “Battle Hymn of the Republic” (traditional, also a very cool version by Jon Batiste)

Round 5:

4yo: What do we see light up the sky at night on July 4th? Fireworks
8yo: What war was fought to win American Independence? The American Revolutionary War
10yo: Who was the nighttime rider who warned everyone “the British are coming”? Paul Revere
Adult: What famous phrase describes the first shot fired at Lexington and Concord? “The shot heard round the world.”

Song: “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa

Round 6:

4yo: What bird is America’s national symbol? The bald eagle 
8yo: Finish the phrase: “Life, liberty, and ____.” The pursuit of happiness
10yo: What is the term for rights that people are born with, which no government can take away? Natural rights, or unalienable rights
Adult: According to the Declaration, from where do governments derive their “just powers”? “The consent of the governed.”

Song: “God Bless America” by Kate Smith

Round 7:

4yo: True or false: One person signed their name to the Declaration of Independence. False
8yo: How many people signed the Declaration of Independence? 56
10yo: Name three signers of the Declaration of Independence. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Hancock, etc.
Adult: Complete the famous line: “We hold these truths to be ___…” “Self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” (As much as you can!)

Song: “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” by Aretha Franklin

Round 8:

4yo: Who was the very first president of the United States? George Washington
8yo: Which Founder was a famous inventor, printer, and America’s first Postmaster General? Benjamin Franklin
10yo: Who wrote the words to our national anthem? Francis Scott Key
Adult: Name one (or more) of the three authors of the Federalist Papers. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay

Song: “Alexander Hamilton” by Lin-Manuel Miranda and cast from Hamilton

Round 9:

4yo: What is the name of the President’s house? The White House
8yo: What famous document starts with the words “We the People”? The United States Constitution 
10yo: In what city was the Constitution written? Philadelphia 
Adult: In what year was the Constitution signed? 1787

Song: “The Preamble” by Schoolhouse Rock (had to find this on YouTube; not on Spotify)

Round 10:

4yo: What is the name of the character with a white beard, top hat, and striped pants who represents America? Uncle Sam
8yo: What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called, as a group? The Bill of Rights
10yo: Which amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, and the press? The First Amendment
Adult: Who is often called the “Father of the Constitution” and helped draft the Bill of Rights? James Madison

Song: “America the Beautiful” by Ray Charles

Round 11:

4yo: What is the name of our country’s national anthem? The Star-Spangled Banner 
8yo: What do we call the famous bell that stands for freedom? The Liberty Bell
10yo: In what city can you visit the Liberty Bell today? Philadelphia
Adult: What building did the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution both get signed in? Independence Hall

Song: “One Last Time” by Christopher Jackson from Hamilton

Round 12:

4yo: What do we call the leader of our country? The President
8yo: Name one (or more) of the three branches of the U.S. government. Executive, judicial, legislative 
10yo: Name the two bodies in Congress. The Senate and the House of Representatives
Adult: What system keeps any one branch of government from becoming too powerful? Checks and balances

Song: “Yankee Doodle Dandy” by Gene Autry

Round 13:

4yo: What color is the Statue of Liberty? Green-blue
8yo: Which country gave the Statue of Liberty to America, as a gift celebrating friendship and freedom? France
10yo: Name one of the Founding Fathers who served as Ambassador to France. Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, or James Monroe
Adult: Which French figure played a key role in the Continental Army and American Revolution? The Marquis de Lafayette

Song: The Armed Forces Medley by the United States Army Field Band

Round 14:

4yo: What is the capital city of the United States? Washington, D.C.
8yo: True or false: Abraham Lincoln was a Founding Father. False
10yo: What’s the nickname for the American flag? Old Glory
Adult: In which city was the Declaration of Independence signed? Philadelphia, PA

Song: “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver

Round 15:

4yo: What do we call the day America celebrates being born as a free country? Independence Day 
8yo: How many years of independence did the U.S. celebrate on July 4, 2026? 250
10yo: Which four presidents are on Mount Rushmore? George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt
Adult: Two founding fathers’ deaths are remarkably linked. Who are they and what is the link? Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

Song: “American Pie” by Don McLean

How’d you do on the grown-up questions? :) I’d love to hear!

The one drawback? The adjustment back to normalcy seems more challenging than if I had kept one foot in the digital world. And there’s been no easing in: I’m coming back to a full-court press of logistics, with VBS carpool arrangements to be made, a birthday to celebrate, a birthday party to throw, a kindergarten neighborhood ice cream social to host, a sleepaway camp to pack for, and a houseguest to welcome — and that’s all just this week. (Whew.)

But the week’s reprieve was worth it, and I’m grateful. On to what’s next!

On my calendar:
— Annie, John, and Shep’s birthdays! Lots of number balloons, special dinners, and celebrations in our future.
— June’s two weeks at sleepaway camp — a highlight of her year, every year.
— Cousin Camp! After a skip last year, we’re thrilled to host our two NC cousins again for a week of sleepovers, bike rides, and bake sales.

What I’m loving right now:
— June recently requested a pajama shorts set that was less form-fitting and in the style of Lake. After a little searching, we went with this pair in the blue stripe for the stunning sale price of $10 and they are SO CUTE in person. Very much a Lake look and feel if you have a little lady in your life who wants to coordinate! (This set is also very cute!)
— I always enjoy The Atlantic’s cover stories (and appreciate reading them in print, because they’re often 20,000+ words!), but this recent one on online gambling (gift link!) was especially interesting, since it’s not a world I know much about. Worth a read — we’re actually discussing it for Articles Club this month.
— Speaking of Articles Club — when I host, I usually line the table with taper candles. These are some of the best I’ve found at a reasonable price and with lots of color options. (And this and this are the newest additions to my tablecloth collection — a weakness, but at least I do use them all regularly!) 

As a reminder, you can find allll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!

What you’re loving right now:

This is where I highlight a few items here that have been popular in the last month with fellow readers, based on my analytics. Here’s hoping this will help you find something you’ll love!

— My giant sun hat, because we all know skincare won’t go too far without physical sun protection.
— The pastel snackle box we used for Teacher Appreciation Gifts this year. Perfect for pool trips, picnics, and beach days, too!
— The cleansing balm I’ve added to my skincare routine. I’m now a double cleanser and I’m not mad about it. Easy to travel with, too!
— This smocked tank dress, my big purchase from the spring that’s still going strong. Even though I opted for a bolder pattern, it has seen SO much wear – the silhouette is just so easy to pull on and feels like the right choice for occasions both casual and fancy. The other versions, too! Red gingham and pale yellow
— Our board game of the summer that’s genuinely as enjoyable with two players as it is with four.

Last month on The Connected Family:
— TCF Review of the Mighty 3, a kid-friendly, screen-free music player | Stepping up the ladder of technology
— The 2026 TCF Summer Reading Guide | Or, just give them a book
— 65+ life skills we’re teaching our kids | And how we’re going about it
— Finding time for each other in middle childhood, paying for daycare, whether I’ve ever considered being a stay-at-home mom, and more | Our twice-yearly audio AMA

What I read in June:
— The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Volume I | I am on the bandwagon! My many friends that have read and loved this series warned me that it starts slow, so I wasn’t put off by the leisurely pace. I enjoyed meeting the inhabitants of St. Albans and look forward to picking back up with them in Vol. 2! These are light, delightful, wholesome reads.
— Lady Tremaine | Okay — I enjoyed this book, but I don’t think it will be one of my favorites from the year. This is not because it wasn’t good — it was! It was clever, elegantly-written, it had some sympathetic characters, and the plot left me reading longer into the night than I should have, especially in the second half. It’s more of a me-thing, a quirk of my contrarian streak: I can’t help but think that the enormous popularity of revisionist fairy tales right now is entwined with our current culture’s pervasive relativism, something I disagree with. So I guess I’m just not rooting for this book, you know? Feel free to disagree in the comments :)
— What Editors Do | I am reading this collection of essays at work in prep for some upcoming responsibility shifts; it is decidedly not a universal recommendation, but as a professional editor and writer, I’m really enjoying it!

My reading list for 2026! I’m 10 / 24 so far.

Revisiting my June goals:
Hang string lights, curtains, and, height ruler with my Dad’s help (We got to the ruler and made some progress on the string lights!)
Film June in June
Book our 2027 Yosemite trip (Done!! Can’t wait!)
Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the attic
End the school year and begin summer well
Prep for sleepaway camp (Some prep completed, and some more to go)
Organize the hot sauce bar at church for Father’s Day
Celebrate Annie’s Walk Around the Sun
Continue planning for the neighborhood kindergarten ice cream social, Annie’s birthday party, and Shep’s birthday party, all in July

July goals:
— Hang backyard string lights and Annie’s curtains
— Execute Annie and Shep’s birthday parties
— Edit June in June
— Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the attic
— Host the neighborhood kindergarten ice cream social
— Host and enjoy Cousin Camp
— Finish writing my Sunday service message
— Celebrate all of our July birthday folks well, both in our immediate and extended family

As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2026 PowerSheets goals!

Let’s see… any buzzy book you’ve got a contrarian opinion about? Is there a particular month with tons of birthdays in your family? Have you just returned or are ready to head out on vacation? I’d love to hear whatever’s on your mind as we move into the second half of the year!

Affiliate links are used in this post!

On my calendar:
— The last day of school! Currently plotting details for our kick-off-to-summer celebration dinner and TTT.
— A beach weekend in Emerald Isle. We’ve loved exploring different coastal towns in NC for the past few Junes and are crossing our fingers for the same excellent weather we’ve enjoyed in recent years. (A few past trips here: Bald Head Island, Beaufort, Swansboro/Hammocks Beach)
— Father’s Day! I’m organizing a hot sauce bar for the men at our church and celebrating my own wonderful husband, Dad, and father-in-law.

What I’m loving right now:
— This is admittedly niche, but in light of last week’s ode to neighborhood swim team, I thought I’d share. One reason my kids love swim is because they get to be part of a team but also compete against themselves. To track their improvement over a season, I made simple charts in Canva, and they love marking off progress after each meet. Feel free to steal and adjust for your own fridge!
— This smocked tank dress was my big purchase this spring. Even though I opted for a bolder pattern, it has seen SO much wear – the silhouette is just so easy to pull on and feels like the right choice for occasions both casual and fancy. A few other versions: red gingham and pale yellow.
— John’s sister and brother-in-law brought this board game with them on a recent trip and the same day they left we bought our own copy at Barnes & Noble! While it is one of those complicated games that’s tedious to learn, it’s not hard to play, and it’s genuinely as enjoyable with two players as it is with four.

As a reminder, you can find allll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!

What you’re loving right now:

This is where I highlight a few items here that have been popular in the last month with fellow readers, based on my analytics. Here’s hoping this will help you find something you’ll love!

— The magical, shape-shifting puzzle we took on our spring break road trip
— My giant sun hat, because we all know skincare won’t go too far without physical sun protection.
— The pastel snackle box we used for Teacher Appreciation Gifts this year. Perfect for pool trips, picnics, and beach days, too!
— The cleansing balm I’ve added to my skincare routine. I’m now a double cleanser and I’m not mad about it. Easy to travel with, too!
— The book we have June’s teachers sign at the end of every school year. More on this tradition here!

Last month on The Connected Family:
— How do we become wise in the age of the bottomless scroll? | An ode to Reader’s Digest and the commonplace book
— Plan a low-screen summer with me! | Boredom, a kindness challenge, and a fill-in worksheet for kids and parents
— Plan an analog summer with me — for you! | Strategies for putting down the phone and picking up real life
— The best activity you can do this summer | It will take over your life for eight weeks and you’ll be nothing but grateful.

What I read in May:
— Meditations for Mortals | This book is akin to a secular devotional based on the author’s previous book, Four Thousand Weeks, which I read a few years ago. Though I took issue with some of his ideas in the original, he also genuinely changed my thinking and behavior as it relates to productivity and time management in lasting ways. I’m reading one (brief) chapter a day and enjoying the refresher.
— The Correspondent | I finally read this incredibly buzzy book — and it was worth the wait! (Speaking of wait — I was number 1,364 on the hold list for this book at my library, by far the longest wait list I’d ever seen. I eventually borrowed a copy from a friend to bypass the list!) This epistolary novel, containing letters written by the aged protagonist Sybil and her correspondents, unfolds with richness and surprise. Because Sybil reminds me SO MUCH of my maternal grandmother – rigid, gruff, but also caring and generous – I know this novel will stick with me for awhile. For more on the author’s unlikely story, don’t miss this WSJ feature.
— Isola | On to the next buzzy novel! Based on an incredible true story, Isola is the tale of a 16th-century heiress who finds herself abandoned on a tiny island off the coast of Canada with her lover and her nursemaid. As the weather turns bleak, she fights to survive — and finds new dimensions within that will change the course of her life. Recommend!

My reading list for 2026! I’m 10 / 24 so far.

Revisiting my May goals:
See our renovation projects to completion (Done! They finished the final details the day our weekend houseguests were set to arrive!)
Hang string lights in our backyard (Lights were purchased and we will hang them with my Dad’s help this weekend.)
Edit Annie in April (Done! So cute!)
Refresh our plan for summer days at home (More here!)
Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the attic (Switched the spot to our master bathroom as I prioritized organizing our new space, so calling this good!)
Get ahead on summer TCF newsletters (A little bit, though not as much as I’d have liked.)
Block out birthday party details for both Shep and Annie, our July babies (Done! Annie is having the most low-key party possible and Shep is having the most complicated, over-the-top party possible, ha. Looking forward to them both :))
Complete the first draft of my Sunday service (No progress here.)
Hang curtains for Annie (They haven’t arrived yet, so no progress here!)

June goals:
— Hang string lights, curtains, and, height ruler with my Dad’s help
— Film June in June
— Book our 2027 Yosemite trip!!
— Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the attic
— Film June in June
— End the school year and begin summer well
— Prep for sleepaway camp
— Organize the hot sauce bar at church for Father’s Day
— Celebrate Annie’s Walk Around the Sun. This is a very Montessori tradition that we’ve never participated in, despite having Montessori preschoolers for many years now. Looking forward to wrapping up our time in the Montessori tradition with this sweet moment!
— Continue planning for the neighborhood kindergarten ice cream social, Annie’s birthday party, and Shep’s birthday party, all in July

As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2026 PowerSheets goals!

To close, I would love to hear one thing you’re doing to prepare well for summer! No matter what season of life you’re in – whether you have kids or not, a job that shifts or not – a new season on the calendar always feels like an opportunity to be kind to our future selves :) It could be putting books on hold at the library, deciding on a lunch you can repeat, planning now for a trip, or resetting toy storage… the smallest things can make a big difference! Please share in the comments, if you’d like.

Affiliate links are used in this post!

Here is what we’re variously calling the piano room, the library, and the study — even though it currently has no piano and no books. Eventually, I would love to replace the keyboard with an actual piano and hang John’s guitar on the wall nearby, maybe put a little chaise lounge reading nook in the window corner.

You might recognize this rug from our previous foyer. (This whole tour is going to be a bit of a Where’s-Waldo situation for longtime readers!) I don’t know that it will stay here forever, but it keeps things cozier for now. The classic wooden hutch is new to me, from Facebook Marketplace: I sold my navy desk because I needed something taller for this narrow space between the windows and pillar, and I love it. Hilariously, everyone who visits says, “my parents have one of these in their house,” ha. I keep desk supplies, stamps, envelopes, stationery, candles, notebooks, paper napkins, and more in the drawers.

Moving a little further into the room, we have the second half of this space. Same sofa, armchair, chest, bookshelf, etc. from our last house. We are considering whether to do a sectional here, but there is more considering to do. (Plus, that tan beauty, circa 2011, is the comfiest, sturdiest, and most resilient sofa a girl could ever hope for; I’m not sure I could ever part with it.)

I know some of you will love this fireplace, and I love that! Alas, it was too modern for my taste, and as the centerpiece of our home, I knew something that better reflected our style would change the tenor of the entire downstairs. Spoiler alert: it has! Plus, we needed more storage for books :)

Moving around the corner, we come to this sunny nook. I took these photos over the last few months, but happily kept my – ahem – winter garland up long past Christmas. I just loved looking at the happy faces of our loved ones! We’re not sure what we’ll do long-term with this space – maybe a little breakfast table and pair of chairs? – but right now the other comfy armchair is working great. I keep my planner open on the bench for quick reference, with more books underneath.

Next door is the kitchen. The previous owner reworked the layout, replaced the cabinetry, widened the door into the dining room, etc., and I mostly like her choices — except, of course, for the dreaded chevron. It will go one day, but I can be patient :) The light pouring in across the whole back of the house is just my favorite.

Finally, the dining room! I hung the exact same chandelier as in our old house because I love it so much. Though I’m grateful for the sideboard storage in here (it held our TV in the old house), I think I’d eventually like to build a corner hutch and move it elsewhere to make it a little easier to navigate around the table. And maybe wallpaper, though our bathroom wallpaper saga has possibly sworn me off the stuff forever.

There you have it! If you have any questions about sources or anything else, just leave a comment — I’m more than happy to help.

Back with the upstairs in a bit!

Our teacher graduation book signing tradition (2025)
Our Google Docs family packing list (2023)
Marvelous Money: The financial implications of having a third child (2023)
I am the standard (2018)
Marvelous Mama Beth (2017)
On turning ten (2010)

With many more Mays to come! And here’s what’s going on this particular May:

On my calendar:
— Teacher Appreciation Week! Our main gift for all classroom teachers is this snackle box filled with some of their favorite treats and a gift card to a local business.
— A father-son camp weekend for John and Shep at the brother camp of June’s camp. I hope they love their parent-child weekend experience as much as June and I did!
— The start of neighborhood swim team! Our family has volunteered to move the “swimmer of the week” signs around every seven days (as instructed by the coaches!) and the kids are so excited to get to be the swim team elves :)

What I’m loving right now:
— June and I started these five-year journals on April 1 and are enjoying the practice immensely! The cover is beautiful, the paper quality is great, and the writing space is just the right size. It’s crazy to think about the life change these journals will hold over the next five years.
— John is a loyal listener to the Knowing Faith podcast and will occasionally send me episodes to listen to, including this one (“Is Retirement a Christian Concept?”). It was thought-provoking and encouraging and I recommend it no matter your background!
— My product fairy godmother Kristin recommended I start double cleansing after reading my skincare routine, and since I was still wiping off makeup with my toning pads even after using my beloved charcoal soap, I decided to give it a try. Instant convert! This balm (which I smooth onto dry skin, lather, then wipe off with a washcloth, then follow with the bar soap) leaves my skin SO soft and clean.

As a reminder, you can find allll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!

What you’re loving right now:

This is where I highlight a few items here that have been popular in the last month with fellow readers, based on my analytics. Here’s hoping this will help you find something you’ll love!

— The magical, shape-shifting puzzle we took on our spring break road trip
— The embroidered floral cross from Annie’s Easter basket, now hanging over her bed
— Our favorite summer swim goggles for kids. No hair pulling (praise!).
— Annie’s little tie-dye velcro sandals. She is obsessed!
— My giant sun hat, because we all know skincare won’t go too far without physical sun protection.

Last month on The Connected Family:
— A super-simple way to build community and encourage tech-free play | An antidote for the screen-based childhood
— June’s milestone tenth birthday trip | Identity, belonging, and connection — all in one weekend
— 14 things to say to your children | And a call-and-response we use at bedtime
— True influencers | An incomplete list of the people who have shaped me

What I read in April:
— This is So Awkward | I picked up this book — “a modern guide to puberty” — to brush up on my facts as we wade into those waters. While I don’t regret that I read it, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it: First, I think it goes into way more detail than is needed for the average person, though I could see using it as a sort of reference book if you wanted to do a deep dive on a certain topic. Second, it was published in 2023, which means it was being developed in the chaos of 2020… and it shows. Third, they presented certain changes or behaviors as unavoidable that I simply refuse to believe are inevitable. (Mostly around technology, if you can believe it ;))
— The Glassmaker | I will always have a soft spot for Tracy Chevalier, as Girl With a Pearl Earring was one of the first “grown-up” novels I read. (It was published when I was a freshman in high school.) I haven’t kept up with many of her later releases, but enjoyed dipping back into her world of talented artists in richly-drawn historical settings with The Glassmaker. It is an intriguing premise: we follow one woman and her close family members and friends through six centuries, skipping ahead 70, 80, 100 years at a time. Recommend!
— The Library of Unruly Treasures | June requested I read this middle grade novel after she finished it, and I was glad to oblige. The newest offering from the author of the Penderwick series, it is a perfect example of how a novel can exist at the level of a 10-year-old and yet still be written with excellence. A delight!

My reading list for 2026! I’m 6 / 24 so far.

Revisiting my April goals:
Write the first draft of my Sunday service (2/3 of the way done!)
Film Annie in April
Hang string lights in our backyard (Made some progress but not done yet!)
Research outdoor movie set-ups and choose date for first movie
Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the third floor bookshelf
Choose a new wallpaper for the bathroom and otherwise continue to manage our renovation projects (Wallpaper has been an absolute nightmare… but we are (hopefully!) inching closer to completion!)

May goals:
— See our renovation projects to completion
— Hang string lights in our backyard
— Edit Annie in April
— Refresh our plan for summer days at home
— Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the attic
— Get ahead on summer TCF newsletters
— Block out birthday party details for both Shep and Annie, our July babies
— Complete the first draft of my Sunday service
— Hang curtains for Annie

As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2026 PowerSheets goals!

Grateful for you, friends! Please feel free to comment on anything I’ve mentioned here or anything else on your mind!

Affiliate links are used in this post!

But sometimes a goal doesn’t quite fit in a monthly, weekly, or daily format, you know?

Enter: the goal punch card.

Made popular on TikTok, I think, goal punch cards are unabashedly aesthetic — and that’s part of the point. But beyond their good looks and the fun of making them, I’ve actually found them to be a really helpful addition to my goal-setting arsenal. For me, they fill a distinct need: tracking something that I want to do a certain number of times, but that doesn’t need to fit in a particular time period or happen in a regular or structured way. Yes, I want to have game nights with my family or invite friends over for dinner, but they don’t have to happen once per month.

I made the ones above at the Articles Club retreat last month and they’ve been hanging on my kitchen bulletin board ever since, a hole punch ready and waiting in the drawer nearby. Should you be inspired to create your own, I thought I’d share the list of ideas I brainstormed and brought to the retreat…

Goal Punch Card Ideas:

— Read x nonfiction books
— Write x handwritten letters
— Try x new drinks at the coffee shop
— Go on x one-on-one parent dates with each of my children
— Shoot x rolls of film
— Try x new veggies
— X solo dates
— Try x new recipes
— Finish using x beauty products I already own
— X weeks of no Amazon
— Try x new hobbies
— Watch x new movies
— Host x dinner parties
— Have people over for dinner x times
— Host people x times
— Compliment a stranger x times
— Organize x areas at home
— Buy x new plants
— Wake up for x sunrises
— Go to x concerts
— Go on x flights
— Try x different cookies
— Pet x dogs
— Pay off x debt
— X no-screen days
— Donate x to charity
— Shop at x new small shops
— Donate blood x times
— Take x naps
— Volunteer x times within my community
— Buy x items of thrifted clothing
— Try x new restaurants
— X date nights
— Try x new workout classes
— Buy fresh flowers x times
— Do x puzzles
— Call my local reps x times
— Go on x hikes
— Try x new board games
— Paint my nails at home x times
— Donate x items
— Give away x items
— Pay for the order behind me x times
— Try x new shapes of pasta
— Buy x books from my local bookstore

Does everything have to be tracked to be meaningful or to “count”? Certainly not. But if a pretty card in a prominent place helps me to do more of what matters, then I’m all for it :)

I’d love to hear: Have you ever made a goal punch card? If not, which card would you be most likely to make?

P.S. I bought the cards we used at a local craft store, but these ones look similar! Alcohol markers appear to be the implement of choice amongst the TikTokkers.

While I imagine the experience we went through last year — moving a young family from one home to another in middle childhood — might be somewhat singular for me, I still want to record it for posterity. (I say “singular” because while we never know for sure what’s ahead, I can easily imagine a life in which our next big move is as empty nesters. And since our first big move was from an apartment, sans children, that would make the move we undertook last year a singular experience in our life. Which is a crazy thought!)

Still, even if I never need to use my own advice again, we did learn a few things along the way, and I’d love to share them with you. I also know that many of you are seasoned movers with a deeper well of experience to offer than me, and I’d love to hear from you in the comments. If not for my benefit (staying put as I intend to!), then for our fellow readers :) 

The first bag of trash (OF MANY) and the first collection of boxes to go to storage

How does it work to sell and buy a house?

First, my biggest question when we approached this move was how to order its cadence — when do we put the house we’re selling on the market? When do we schedule the moving truck? — and it was frustrating to feel like I never got a clear, satisfactory answer from any party. Not their fault: now on the other side, I think it’s because there is no universal order that works in every situation. But in case it’s helpful, this was our timeline:

The first week of August: Our soon-to-be-new house comes on the market (while we are on vacation, do not recommend), we make an offer, we make another offer, we make another offer, and it is accepted. We are under contract with a closing date in early October.

Remainder of August: We begin prepping our old home for sale. We declutter belongings and hire people to make repairs and complete final projects or do them ourselves. We begin packing boxes. (I aim for at least one per day.)

September 15: We rent a small storage unit and use it to stash items we don’t want in our home during the selling process (listing photos, open houses, showings, etc.). This includes toys, a few pieces of furniture, our Peloton, decor, and some packed boxes. We rent it for two months.

September 25: Listing photos are taken of our home.

October 1: Another photographer takes new listings photos, since we didn’t like the editing on the first ones. This was a bit awkward to advocate for in the moment but I think it paid off.

October 2: We officially close on our new home and our old home goes on the market – yes, on the same day! We host open houses on Saturday and Sunday and accept an offer on Sunday night. We now own two homes. Since our new home is less than a mile from our old home, we begin moving boxes and more delicate items (plants, lamps, art) in small loads a few times a week.

October 17: Movers come to move our furniture and all remaining boxes to the new house. They also swing by our storage unit to collect the items we’ve stashed there.

This is also the date the sale was expected to close on our old house. As you know, this did not go according to plan, and the sellers back out on this, the last possible day. After some scrambling, we secure a new buyer and go under contract on Sunday night, with a new closing date of November 17. In the meantime, we camp overnight with friends on Friday, then officially spend our first night in the new house on Saturday. 

November 17: We say an official, final goodbye to the old house and sign the papers to close.

Our home on the day the listing photos were taken

Tips for working with movers

While we moved our belongings with the help of family and friends when we lived in an apartment, hiring movers was a no-brainer this time around. (For locals, we used Crabtree Family Movers and they were great!) A few thoughts and pieces of advice:

— We kept gatorade in the fridge and welcomed the crew to help themselves throughout the day.

— As soon as the movers showed up, things moved FAST. There was really no time for packing final boxes or getting organized that morning — our house started emptying immediately and the pace didn’t let up. I thought it would go a bit slower and was scrambling to stuff a few final things in boxes!

— The first half of the day (the loading) was fairly hands-off. The second half of the day I was engaged the whole time, standing by the truck as they unloaded, answering questions and making sure every box and item of furniture went to the right room (even though we had labeled boxes!).

— There were a few final items we wanted to move by hand, and we made sure to segregate them in a corner and point them out to the movers first thing. Otherwise, everything will go into the truck before you even realize what’s happening, ha.

— We had cash on hand to tip each guy $40, which we handed to the foreman at the end of the day.

John power washing in the dark after he didn’t like the way the driveway looked after the first listing photos (LOL) and the box situation two days before moving day

Other miscellaneous tips for moving:

— We sourced free boxes from friends, our local Buy Nothing group, and the ABC store. The ABC boxes are a little smaller, but they were great for heavier items like books. I also bought a few larger ones from Lowes. (Good to remember – you can return unused boxes to Lowes!) Because you’re at the mercy of others’ timing, I wish I had started claiming boxes earlier on Buy Nothing.

— Several friends told me they had been able to get good-quality free boxes from Chick-fil-a, but I called several of our local restaurants and all seemed confused by my request, ha.

— As we unpacked, I gave away any boxes we didn’t want to keep on Buy Nothing. Much easier than breaking them all down!

— We mowed our lawn one final time just before moving the mower, to hopefully keep the grass at a reasonable level for the new owners.

— I kept a few extra, empty plastic tubs on hand on moving day to corral last-minute items. Highly recommend.

— Several of those tubs were used to pack sleep things. As soon as we got up on moving day, I stripped everyone’s beds and ran all the sheets through the laundry (at the old house). I packed the fresh sheets, blankets, and pillows and all other sleep necessities — white noise machines, Yotos, pajamas, stuffies, John’s sleep mask — in the same tub. That first night at the new house, we put on a movie for the kids and John and I worked together to get everyone’s bed set up: sheets on, pillows fluffed, stuffies in place, white noise machines plugged in. It took the whole 1.5 hours (longer than I thought!) to get it done, but but working together with John that night in our new home is actually a very sweet memory.

Doing the laundry one last time at our old house and the main room after the movers descended

— Since we camped on Friday night, our first official night in the new house was Saturday. Friends from church offered to bring us dinner that night; I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal but it really was! First, to have dinner taken care of, but also to have friends in our home even briefly really made it feel like home. On Sunday night, when things were still disheveled, we ate a premade meal for dinner (locals — from Donovan’s Dish), which was also a great call. By the time Monday rolled around we had groceries in the fridge and though we still kept meals really simple, cooking was more feasible.

— One of the most surprisingly refreshing parts of moving was looking at everything that had hung on our walls with a clear eye. I find it hard enough to commit and actually get something hung; once I do, I basically never switch it out. So, after 12 years, it was a delight to be forced to consider whether we actually still wanted each piece on our walls! It’s been a slow process in the new house, and we still have much to hang, but I’ve enjoyed releasing pieces we no longer want on Buy Nothing.

— In the packing process, we emptied many bins and baskets as we filled boxes. We collected all those containers and kept them in a central place in the new house (a stairwell), which made it easy to “shop” for the container we needed in the new house as we unpacked. Most things did not go back into the same configuration as they had in the old house.

— In general, the new house has necessitated lots of new solutions, and shedding of the old. There was an acute two-month period where I was doing a lot of selling items on Facebook Marketplace or giving them away in our Buy Nothing group while also buying new items for new needs. We still have a ways to go in the new house, but the initial flurry has died down.

Finally, something to prepare yourself for: the things you suspect might be an issue when you’re considering a house might very well be an issue once you’ve signed on the dotted line. For example, the thing I was most worried about in advance of our move was the square footage of the dining room. While well-sized for daily dinners, I worried it would be a tight squeeze when gathering the twelve gals of Articles Club or a family with kids. I was right. We make it work, but just as you’re likely to be disappointed hoping your partner will magically change after a wedding, so it is with a home sale.

On the other hand, you might find there are surprises and delights around every corner. As you know, I felt very conflicted throughout the moving process, and into our first few weeks in our new home. I worried if we were making the wrong decision. I missed our old home and our old neighbors. I was desperate to make changes to make our new home feel like “us.” 

Now, six months in, I feel like George Banks on the regular: “I LOVE this house,” I think, as I turn onto our cul-de-sac, windows down, front yard maple coming into view. I love how it looks, I love how it feels, I love all the light, I love the backyard, I love that this is where we get to raise our kids. I hope we’re here for a very long time, and I am so grateful. So if change is hard for you, and moving has you in a tizzy, there is hope.

Alright — what would you add? I’d love to hear. xo

P.S. I originally planned to include new home photos in this post, but it got too long and it felt right to give airtime to these in-process photos, instead! A little tour coming soon.