living in the in-between

Life Coaching 101

2020-03-21T10:45:00.000-04:00

I've been sharing a lot about my life coaching journey over on social media and getting lots of questions, so I thought it would be helpful to spend some time answering them here.

If you’re new here, hi! You can read more about my new adventure in becoming a life coach here.

A few weeks ago, I asked my friends and family what they knew about life coaching. Though not entirely surprising, only about 10% of my closest family and friends even knew what a Life Coach was and very few of those had actually worked with one.

I’ll admit that when I learned about life coaching I had many misconceptions. It wasn’t until about 2 years ago that I got curious enough to hire my own life coach. I figured, if I truly wanted to understand this profession, I needed to experience it first hand as a client. That experience helped clear up MANY misconceptions I had about what and who life coaching is for.

So, what IS life coaching?

Coaching is the professional practice of partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process to maximize their personal and professional potential. The most common objective for coaching clients is to gain new insight and create new habits as they move forward into a more fulfilled and flourishing life.

The goal of coaching is to come alongside you and affirm you in who you were created to be. Supporting and encouraging you through the journey. Cheering you on when you succeed, walking with you when you're stuck, holding you accountable when you want to quit. Coaching is seeing the best in you and showing you the mirror so YOU can begin to see the best in yourself.

As a coach we assume that all people are naturally creative, resourceful, relational and whole. We assume that you are unique and valuable, worthy of being championed, and capable of solving complex problems. We also believe that you’re ready to start living your best life TODAY.

How does coaching work?

Obviously, every coaching situation is different, but you typically meet on a regular basis, weekly or biweekly for a set duration of time. The initial session is often called a “Discovery Session” and is used to help you establish a relationship, and set goals and expectations. Whether you’re looking for incremental change or transformation, it’s recommended that you commit to working with a coach for 3-6 months in order to really develop a relationship and further move you towards your goals.

Thanks to modern technology, coaching sessions can happen anywhere, anytime. Whether in person, over the phone or via Skype/FaceTime it’s possible to fit Life Coaching into any schedule.

Why hire a life coach?

There are a million reasons why you might higher a life coach! Maybe you’re going through a life or career change....or a transition like a move or taking on a new role, like motherhood. Maybe you are content where you are, but know there’s something more, you just don’t know what it is or where to find it or where to go. Maybe you have a big idea and dream but you don’t know where to begin or have the accountability to get there.

Here are some real topics people have brought to their life coach…

“I really want to meal plan, but I struggle so much to do it and don’t know why.”

“I’m pregnant with my second child and I’m anxious about the transition with my husband and son.”

“I know I need to raise my prices for my business, but I’m scared.”

“I homeschool and desire for my children to have more socialization, but I don’t know what that looks like for us.”

“I’ve spent a long time learning to love my body but I have some health concerns that mean I really should lose some weight, I just don’t know where to begin.”

“My spouse and I have a great marriage, but I desire to find ways to spend more time together and have a deeper connection.”

Who should hire a life coach?

Anyone and everyone! Everyone deserves the space to be heard and empowered.Coaching can help you better understand yourself and what you want in life - as well as the tools to get there. When we are more balanced in life, we’re better equipped to tackle those complex problems in our families, our homes, and our communities!

So, does that help give you a better idea of the role of a Life Coach? What questions do you still have?

As I continue to work through my coaching courses I would love to work with you.Whether you’re interested in learning more or ready to dive into coaching, let me know! I’m offering FREE 30 minute sample sessions and discounted coaching during my training.

Message me with any questions you may have or click here to schedule your sample session today!

LET'S CHAT ABOUT MINIMALISM

2020-02-19T15:47:00.000-05:00

Last week I shared a photo of my minimalistic wardrobe on social media. I was shocked at the number of responses I got asking for help and tips to address their wardrobe. So today I thought I'd share my experience over the past couple of years and offer some suggestions for not only addressing your wardrobe but your home in general.

Minimalism was never really on my mind until we decided to downsize and move into a tiny 800 sqft bungalow.

We were not only moving to a smaller house, but from 3 acres in the country to a postage stamp lot in the city. That decision made me keenly aware of how much "stuff" we had and caused me to question if we truly "needed" it all.

Moving has a way of igniting my desire to purge, organize, and start over. As I began packing for that move I began eliminating excess as much as I could knowing that space was going to be a huge issue in the next home.

One of the areas that needed the most addressing was my wardrobe. I'm a natural "saver" because "what if I need this?"...and my wardrobe reflected this. My closet was overflowing with business attire from my former teaching career, dresses from the various weddings I'd been in in recent years, maternity clothes from two close pregnancies, hiking and biking gear as those were our favorite hobbies (pre children), and I couldn't throw anything away because "what if I needed it?" and it could always be used as "work clothes" while working on our fixer upper or in the garden. It was overwhelming to say the least.

That's when I came across the idea of a minimalistic wardrobe. In theory it sounded amazing! I loved all the beautifully curated wardrobes floating around Pinterest...but the reality of turning my mess of a closet into something so beautiful was daunting.

Over the past three years I've moved twice and lived out of a box of limited clothing for months at a time during the transition...though that experience I've learned to live with less and zeroed in on what I truly want and need in my wardrobe.

Here are 10 tips I've gathered over the past few years that I hope will help you not only address your wardrobe but really any area of your home that you desire more minimalism.

1. Define you're why. This may sounds silly, but we all have different motivators for why we do things and it's important to identify your personal motivator. For me, my desire for a minimalistic wardrobe was about space, time, and organization. We have lived in small homes with limited storage and the clutter of an overstuffed closet stresses me out. Clean and organized spaces bring me peace and allow for clear headspace. Also time necessary to dig through my clothing to find the "perfect outfit" was also overwhelming and discouraging.

2. Less is truly more. Before I began actually going through my clothing I noticed that I was grabbing same items over and over and avoiding others. I realized that while I may have 20 shirts, I was only actually wearing 5 of them on a regular basis. Those other 15 were just taking up space. Once I removed that I almost instantly became happier because I was excited to choose one of my 5 shirts vs. overwhelmed by the 20 options I had before.

3. Noticed patterns. Look at your favorite items and likely you'll begin to see a pattern of your "style"...this took me a few years to zero in on because I had been buying things because they were trendy or others told me they looked good on me. Over time my style began to emerge. Now my wardrobe consists of neutrals (gray, tan, white), olive green and black, with the occasional pop of maroon or blush pink. These are the colors I have always felt most comfortable in and naturally grabbed, so eliminating the distraction of other colors made my wardrobe cohesive.

4. Start small and keep a list. I don't recommend going all Kon Marie and trashing anything in your wardrobe that doesn't bring you joy - at least not all at once. It's easy to just want to start fresh, but truly this evolution takes time and requires a mindfulness in order to be sustainable. Eliminating things you haven't worn in months or don't fit is step one. Once those items are gone you'll feel so much lighter and your closet more visible. Then begin identifying items you'd like to replace - maybe your favorite T is wearing out, or your sneakers aren't the color you'd like. Or maybe you've never owned a good fitting jacket and would like to add that to your wardrobe. Make a list of these items and keep it with you (I keep mine in the notes app on my phone) so that when you're out shopping you can be mindful of what you need to add to your wardrobe...don't purchase anything until you find the PERFECT thing...and don't wait until you need an item to start looking for it - chances are you'll settle for something you don't love.

5. See your wardrobe as a whole. It's easy to go shopping and see an item you might really love, then get home and realize you have nothing to wear with it. So you either never wear that item or you end up buying more just to make that outfit work. Once you identify the color theme of your wardrobe you are better able to add to it cohesively. I am now able to pass on that beautiful mustard sweater I fell in love with at Target because I know it's not going to mesh with what I have in my closet.

6. Set limits. As I began purging clothes I realized that I could indeed live with less, but I still wanted options..specifically with tops. I also began to notice that I naturally had accumulated things in sets of 3...so I went with it. I narrowed my jeans down to 3 favorites, and dresses (which I rarely wear) down to 3 versatile options - summer/winter/formal. I then set limits of 3 of each color for tops - 3 neutral, 3 black, and 3 green -- this helped really reign in my random shopping trips to Target!

7. Start with a spending freeze. We're impatient, we want to fix things right away. It's easy to want to toss everything you hate and replace it immediately with things you love. So start with a spending freeze and challenge yourself to wear what you already own for the next 30 days. During that time be mindful of what you're choosing. What patterns arise? What color choices/styles do you prefer? What items do you want to add to your wardrobe? What types of clothing do you need to avoid?

8. STOP! Once you have a wardrobe you love, just stop. There's no need to mindlessly wander the clothing aisles at Target wondering if there's something you need - you don't! Live with your wardrobe for a few months or a season before reevaluating.

9. Start today. There's no perfect time to start, don't wait. You're ready to take small steps to eliminate the clutter so you can better focus on things that matter most to you.

10. Do what works for you. There's no perfect formula for this, friends, you've just trust the process and do what works for you. These are the things that have worked for me, but they may not be for you, that's ok! Find what does work for you and run with that!

That's it, friends. I hope these tips are helpful. I have found them useful not just for my wardrobe but have used the same steps for addressing our kitchen, bathroom, and miscellaneous storage.

The more we live with less, the more space we have for living!

Please consider sharing with a friend if you think they'd find it helpful and I'd love to hear what you think or how you've used these tips to address your wardrobe or home!

BACK TO SCHOOL

2019-09-20T14:37:00.001-04:00

Here we are, one month into our homeschool year and once again I realize how much I need to re-write my definition of "school".

Over the past few years, observing my children and reflecting on my time in the classroom, I've come to embrace the concept of "learning through life." The world offers so many incredible opportunities for our children to learn! I'm always amazed at the skills and concepts my children learn from observing those around them and participating in unique experiences.

Every little thing under the sun -- they notice them all. They're amazed by the world.
- Julie Bogart, "The Brave Learner"

When we first decided to homeschool, I was excited to plan our days, select our curriculum, and learn alongside my children. I have always LOVED teaching, and knew I'd LOVE teaching my own children. But as I began to dive deeper into theories and philosophies of homeschooling, the more I realized, learning is less about checking boxes and more about stoking a fiery passion! Our children are naturally deeply passionate about so many things, and my role is to fuel that passion as long as it lasts. To follow the child.

So we've let go of the constraints of a curriculum and opened the world to our children. We follow their lead and create an environment of learning around their specific interests. When the boys show interest in a topic, we head to the library and find loads of books on the topic, we get lost down rabbit trails on YouTube related to the topic, we ask more questions and seek out more answers. Sometimes the interest in a topic lasts for a few hours or maybe a few days, other times it lasts for months...but the kids are always in the drivers seat, I'm just there to offer support and guidance.

Everything can be taught through anything.
- Julie Bogart, "The Brave Learner"

Though I have a rough plan of what I want to expose our children to, more than anything I want them to fall in love with learning, I want them to hunger for more! Taking time to follow the spark of their interests pays dividends in creating an education that is personal and meaningful to them!

In the spring, my boys became OBSESSED with collecting water. After asking multiple times to use the hose and being told no, they decided to start collecting rain water. Any time it rained they would run around the house setting up buckets and barrels (plastic cups, old pots, anything they could find!). Throughout the day they'd go out to check their water collectors, dumping the collected water into another bucket. Initially I thought it was cute, I mean how creative of them to find an alternative source of water, but after months of the daily obsession and their constant need to check their barrels or being unwilling to leave the house during a storm, I began to get annoyed. I didn't understand why they cared so much...why they were so passionate...and because of that wanted to shut it down and turn their attention to something else. But instead I decided to lean into their obsession and fuel their passionate fire, finding creative ways to learn together.

Once we moved to our new house, we created a rain barrel to help them collect more water and give them a place to store the water they collected elsewhere. We monitor the rain barrel and measure how much water is collected after a rain. Their excitement when it rains is so contagious! Last month we decided to dive deeper and learn more about water and our world through a prepared science unit from The Good and The Beautiful. It's been fun for me and they're loving it, especially the experiments! There are so many ways to learn through passions, we just have to be willing to step outside the box of traditional education!

Other water related activities we've done:
1. Measuring our water collected.
2. Charting the weather.
3. Writing vocabulary words.
4. Drawing the water cycle.
5. Watering plants and watching how they respond.
6. Reading about climate change and how water effects our world.
7. Learning about and visiting Niagara Falls.

It often happens that what really gets learned is different from what the teacher had in mind - an experience both baffling and intriguing. But little can be done about it except to teach for surprise!
- William Reinsmith, "Ten Fundamental Truths About Learning"

Homeschooling for us is a lifestyle, not a curriculum. Learning through life, following the spark, seeking to learn all day every day! We definitely don't have it all figured out, but that's part of the joy of the journey...getting to learn right alongside my children!

ELLIE'S BIRTH STORY: PART 2

2019-04-30T12:48:00.000-04:00

I thought for sure we'd be meeting our third baby on Jan 23rd (a day early!) when I woke up to mild, but regular contractions. I stayed in bed as long as I could, but between the excitement and contractions every 5 minutes, I wasn't sleeping! So I picked up the living room, cleaned the bathroom, and was doing the dishes when Dan woke up. After sending him to the grocery (at 5am!) I called my midwife and my mom.

When my mom arrived a few hours later ready to see Caleb off to school and spend the morning with Abel, contractions had all but stopped! They were now irregular and anywhere from 10-20 mins apart. Total defeat set in. Dan decided to work from home and I went back to bed, though I didn't really sleep.

Around noon, I talked with my midwife and we both figured it just wasn't time. I took a bath, drank a glass of wine, and crashed on the couch for a few hours. My mom decided to take the boys home with her, to allow us more time to just relax, should baby decide to come.

Early evening the contractions returned and built with some intensity. At roughly 10 minutes apart I once again was hopeful that this was it, but not overly optimistic.

By midnight the contractions we're every 8 minutes, but intense enough that we weren't sleeping. My sweet hubby suggested that we get up and move around the house to try to speed things up. After two hours of endless laps around our tiny house, contractions were now every 2-3 minutes! We called our midwife and she headed right over. Things were finally moving along.

I labored for what felt like days, walking laps, taking a shower, catching catnaps literally in every room of our house. I could not get comfortable and felt that little progress was happening.

Finally at about 8am, while my midwife was administering a second dose of antibiotics for GBS (which I had tested positive for), we talked about what to do next. She offered to check me and see if she could break my waters which might help speed things up. No sooner than I had agreed with her, my water broke (at 8:07am) on its own - while she's still pushing in the antibiotics! She quickly finished up the antibiotics and I sat back to let the nurse check that the waters were clear and she immediately noticed that baby was descending. I thought I'd just lay down to rest for a minute while my midwife switched places with the nurse (knowing the hard part of pushing was ahead of me)...as I did, my body completely took over and literally pushed Ellie out on it's own! I can remember looking at my midwife, saying "I can't stop, I'm not pushing."

It was less than a minute from the time her head emerged to her snuggling on my chest! She was born just 5 minutes after my water broke at 8:12am, on her due date, January 24th!!!

Sweet Eleanor June, rocked our world the moment she arrived! I spent weeks in shock that I had a daughter. Still today, I sometimes look at her and marvel over the fact that I get to be the mama of this sweet GIRL! She brings so much JOY and LIFE to our lives.

{Read part one of Ellie's birth story here. }

ELLIE'S BIRTH STORY: PART 1

2019-02-18T10:56:00.000-05:00

I've desperately wanted to share our sweet daughter's birth story for over a year now, but could never quite find the right words. To tell her story, we have to go back two years.....

November 2016. During our annual anniversary, Dan and I talked at length about the next few years. We were eager to get started in buying more real estate and decided that we'd widen our parameters in include possibly moving our little family. While we loved our little blue house, I was struggling with being home alone all day with our littles and not being near friends. They had been working on our sewer connection for months and we couldn't even enjoy playing in our own yard. Dan's job kept him away sometimes 80+ hours a week making it hard to fit in housework. We knew a move would help ease some of the stresses we were both dealing with, so we were open to it.

During the month of December, we looked at real estate daily....we visited and put offers in on a number of potential rentals, but nothing was panning out. Discouraged, we poured our energy into making some updates to our home - fresh paint + simple repairs. By the end of the year we felt like maybe we were supposed to just settle into our home for a few more years, but neither one of us were ready to give up.

Near the end of January I got a call from Dan one morning asking if I had time to come see a foreclosure he and our realtor had just learned about. I literally loaded up the boys and went to meet him at the house. This particular foreclosure was only available for "Owner Occupancy", which meant the owner had to move into the house and live there for at least a year. So the question was - Is it worth moving our family across town, into the city? And could we live in this SMALL house for a year? (it's important to note that the house is less than 900 sq ft and only 2 bedrooms). As we were leaving we wrote up an offer - and within days we had a closing date. Two weeks later we got the keys to Our Little Green Bungalow!

It was a whirlwind, completely unexpected, but completely exhilarating! We were finally taking steps to financial freedom and we had this awesome adventure for the four of us for the next year.

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During this time, Dan and I were both struggling with our desire to grow our family but felt it wasn't the right time. Dan's job kept him away so much he barely got to see the boys, and we'd just bought a house so all his free time was spent getting it ready for us to move into. Despite my inner desire, I was home alone with our two boys all day and felt ill-equipped to add more children to the mix. Then there was the financial burden - we were already living on a single income. While we were able to pay the bills, there wasn't much extra to save or invest what we desired! We both felt like we had this heavy decision to make but didn't want to! I remember one night near the end of February, just letting go and turning it all over to God - praying that if we were meant to grow our family that it would be in God's timing and not ours...and if we weren't supposed to grow our family that God would grant us peace about it. Over the coming weeks as we dove deeper into house renovations, I was overcome by an incredible sense of peace and contentment about our family.

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May 2017. It took months to finish the house and get it to a livable state (gas and plumbing issues took far longer than anticipated!) but by mid-May we were moving! The night we moved in, I remember sitting on our front porch soaking in our new neighborhood. We talked about the walks we'd take on the trail and to the park. How we'd visit downtown more often now that we were just minutes away. We were both filled with joy and excitement just thinking about sharing this season of city life with our boys. It was in that moment that I confessed to Dan that while putting this photo on the mantel that afternoon, I just couldn't shake the idea that someone was missing....that there was room for one more. He looked at me like I was crazy - we'd literally just downsized - moved our family for four into a small 2 bedroom house. Meanwhile I was recounting the past two weeks of feeling "off". I had chalked it up to the stress and craziness of the moving process, but deep down wondered if maybe I was pregnant.

The next morning, I was the first one awake and decided to go ahead and take a pregnancy test to just clear my mind. I fully expected it to be negative - knowing that the stress and chaos of moving could have caused the types of symptoms I was experiencing. So imagine my surprise when it was positive! I remember just sitting there staring at the test, working my way through every emotion of excitement, worry, fear, joy, frustration, surprise....I was anxious to break the news to Dan, especially after the conversation we'd had the night before. I was a ball of nerves as I carried the test into the bedroom, unsure really what to say, but smiled through tears as I told him. He just looked at me, his eyes full of joy and love and said "I guess we're going to need a bigger house" - and we both burst into laughter!

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The next 9 months were by far some of the most difficult and exhilarating of our lives. Dan's job went from bad to worse that summer and we rarely saw him -- when he wasn't at work he was at our old house getting it ready to rent. By the end of July, we both felt broken and beat down - I lived in fear of what the future of our family would look like, I worried about his health, our boys missing their daddy, how to take care of a baby and older children by myself. The days were incredibly long.

Then, miraculously, something shifted. The last day of July my Young Living business hit an incredible milestone - one I'd spent the past 3 years working towards. The next day our first house was officially rented and by the end of that first week of August, Dan was in the midst of interviewing for a new job! August was full and busy for us, but we were finally feeling lighter and happier. By the middle of the month Dan accepted a new job and was set to start September 1st. We spent the last week of August on vacation with Dan's family and it felt like the perfect way to celebrate ending a difficult season and get excited for all that lay ahead in the next.

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Despite being my third child, I had a lot of fear about pregnancy and caring for older children. I desperately wanted to keep up with the boys but by late November I hit a wall. I was in excruciating pain being on my feet and ended up spending much of the holiday season laying on the couch. It really took a toll on me emotionally! I struggled daily to hold on to that light, joy and happiness we'd just regained. As my due date approached I was eager to meet our little one, but again fear and worry crept in. I had had a January baby before and knew that the weeks and months of dark dreary days could easily keep me down, and I desperately wanted to enjoy the postpartum season this time.

I knew I needed to be proactive and set intentions for the upcoming season - so I told anyone who would listen that I was going to do nothing but rest and care for my baby for at least 6 weeks. I asked, begged, for people to hold me accountable and call me out if I tried to bounce back too quickly. I prepped meals, and made plans for friends and family to care for the boys so I could rest. All the planning and preparing really helped to brighten my spirits as I waited for baby's arrival.

WHOSE LIFE ARE YOU TRYING TO LEAD?

2019-02-13T22:46:00.001-05:00

Last night, after putting the kids to bed, I looked at the clock and sighed, 8:30. I turned to my husband and said "how lame is it that I just want to crawl into bed and read until I fall asleep?". He looked at me with a furrowed brow and said "Why is that lame? Whose life are you trying to lead?" His response totally stopped me in my tracks. I mean really, why would taking care of my needs and desires be considered "lame"??? But if I'm completely honest, that has been part of the underlying script scrolling through my brain for the past decade!

For years I've worked hard to be as productive as possible --to make the most of every last hour of the day. To do enough. Be enough. I've calculated number of hours necessary for sleep and scolded myself for taking more. I've tabulated to do lists and evaluated progress against an unrealistic expectation. Phrases like "everyone had the same 24 hours, we make time for what we truly want" are on repeat in my brain daily, causing me to ponder whether or not I'm doing enough with those hours.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I even started thinking about what I truly wanted in life. What MY goals even are! I have always been one to follow the crowd, blend in and go unnoticed. Attention makes me uncomfortable, but deep down I have a burning desire to be different! I have dreams that I've ignored and abandoned for fear of drawing attention. Dreams that feel abnormal and different, dreams that go against everything around me. But the truth is, not following these dreams, means I'm follow someone else's! Living someone else's life! In a world of social media, it's so easy to see what everyone else is doing and think, "maybe I should do that too!" But, as I've turned inward this past year and worked hard to put on my blinders, my vision for my life has gotten brighter. My confidence in being who I was created to be had gotten stronger. Every day I grow more comfortable being different, being me!

Today, I can honestly say that I love my life! I love that I get a front row seat to watching my children grow and learn. I love that I get to make our house a home. I love my family and my friends and the community we’ve built. But most of all, I love embracing the freedom to create the life of our dreams, and sometimes that means going to bed at 8:30 and reading until I fall asleep!

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So, when was the last time you turned off the noise and asked yourself "What are my dreams and aspirations? What am I working towards?”

If you're anything like me, that may be a super difficult question for you to answer! But I want to challenge you to turn off the noise (social media, news, TV, movies, etc) and spend some time inside your own head. You have dreams...you have deep burning passions...trust me, they're in there, you just need to create the space to bring them to light!

Friend, I want you to know that your dreams matter. That YOU matter! You were created for a purpose and to live a life of freedom!

Whose life are you trying to live anyway?!?

Our Little Bungalow - house tour.

2017-02-14T09:42:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Our Little Green Bungalow!

square footage: 1016

bedrooms: 2

bathrooms: 1 + 1/2
exterior: wood siding

yard: fenced in back yard

built in: 1945

Living Room:

Dining Room:

Kitchen:

Hallway:

Bathroom:

Master Bedroom:

Bedroom:

Backyard:

**Because we were so eager to get started the day we closed, I totally failed to get good photos of the whole house. These photos are a mix of the listing photos and what I snapped over the weekend!

It's official...we're moving!!

2017-02-10T18:00:00.000-05:00

Today we closed on our second fixer upper!!!!

For over a year, Dan and I have been in search of a property to invest in and start our adventure in real estate. As we looked at countless properties, we'd alway ask ourselves these three questions:

1. Could we rent it?
2. Could we flip it?
3. Would we live in it? (i.e. the neighborhood?)

Buying a property of any kind is a risk, you don't know what you don't know! But we knew if we could answer yes these three questions then we'd always have a back up plan!

Mid January we came across a foreclosure that not only answered these three questions with a resounding YES!!! but the price was incredible! We knew it wouldn't stay on the market long, so one quick walk-through and we put an offer in on the spot! 48 hours later : offer accepted!!!

The unique part of this purchase is that it was in the first stages of foreclosure listing and was listed for "owner occupancy only". Meaning that the purchaser MUST live in the house for 1 year before selling or renting. Hence the move.

And because we have to live in the house, the contract allows us 60 days to renovate before we have to occupy....so the clock's ticking! Over the next 60 days we'll doing all sorts of updates and renovations! It's exciting and overwhelming!

We're so thrilled to be at it again and can't wait to share our journey with you all! No guarantees on how often we'll update this blog, but I'm so thankful for the space to document our adventures!

Big things ahead...

2017-02-02T15:23:00.002-05:00

Fall family photos!

2016-11-19T08:52:00.000-05:00

Fall is our favorite time of year, so it's only fitting that we try to get family photos during this beautiful season. So thankful for my new friend Yih Ning and her talented photography! This season of life is wild and crazy, but I love how these photos capture exactly where we are!!!!

(Caleb Roscoe 3.25 yrs + Abel Henry 21 months)

The Amazing, Incredible, So Good, Very Awesome Day.

2016-10-13T15:41:00.001-04:00

Not every day is great, but there is good in every day!

Life with toddlers can be messy and unpredictable. Most days when Dan arrives home we talk about all the challenges of a day spent with a mouthy and stubborn "threenager", and his teething, needy, copy cat little brother. These days really are long. But on a particularly difficult day, as we sat on the couch after an extra rough bedtime routine, Dan challenged me to list the positive things that had happened that day. It was hard to get started, but once I did, the tension I didn't even realize I was holding in began to release. As I listed all the awesome parts of our day, I was filled with joy at the thought of being these boys' mama! What a blessing and a privilege to spend my days with them! The next day, I made a point to remain positive through the chaos...to not let negativity creep in and consume my day!! Though nothing particular special happened, it was one of the best days of my life! Seriously!

On this particular day, I hit snooze too many times and was woken up Caleb yelling from his room that he'd had an accident. When I got to his room, there was pee all over the room...he'd apparently danced around in a circle while going! Ha. He was happy to help clean it up, so I let him! {Thank you Thieves Household Cleaner!}

After breakfast, the boys voluntarily played together in their room {SCORE!} so I cleaned the kitchen...like moped the floor, and everything!! We had a few errands to run so I packed up the boys and headed to Target. While I typically try to get in and out as quick as possible so as to avoid any meltdowns, today we took our time! It really was enjoyable to let the boys check things out instead of rushing past a section to keep them from seeing what would surely bring on a meltdown when told we couldn't buy something! I even got them each a pumpkin!

As we were leaving the store I got a message that a friend was having a rough day and decided to grab her a coffee and drop it off. It was great to brighten her day, but even more as we were leaving her neighborhood I spotted this AWESOME playground and decided to stop {something I NEVER do!}. We had the whole playground to our selves, and it was GLORIOUS! I even hopped on the swings with the boys!

Once home, the boys snacked while I cleaned the living room...vacuum, dust, mop..the whole works! I felt like a ROCK STAR! We then headed back outside. They played until dinner time! Dug in the dirt, found a frog, picked flowers, and got muddy...literally! It was so much fun to watch them throughly enjoy this time together exploring instead of worrying about what needed done inside the house!

When they found the mud puddle, I couldn't help but let them play! And when Dan got home, I couldn't wait to tell him all about the fun we'd had!

As I recount this amazing, incredible, so good, very awesome day, I can't help but think "these are the days!" The days we'll look back on and long for in the not so distant future. I'm putting this here as a reminder. A reminder to be present and embrace the wild, messy, challenging season we're in! Here's to finding the good in ever day!

Mr. Caleb

2016-05-10T22:11:00.001-04:00

So full of joy, laughter and energy...and determination, defiance and strong will!

And a smile that lights up my whole world!

How is it that you're growing up so fast?? Every day you're bigger, stronger, smarter....always full of adventure!

Love you always!

April favorites.

2016-04-29T11:38:00.000-04:00

Love their love for one another! Abel adores his daddy!

My little artist loves painting! This year he painted Nana a fun little wind spinner for her birthday!

Baby in a bucket...Abel's new favorite game!

Puddle jumping...Caleb's new favorite game!

Everyone loves trips to the farm!

Started working in the garden. Love that the boys can start helping a little this year...well, sort of! Caleb loves finding worms and feeding them to the chickens. Able, he's happy to just throw mulch around.

Their new little reading nook.

Happy boys!

The boys love watching Daddy leave each morning...this particular day, Daddy had come home for lunch and Caleb was already napping. Abel got some one-on-one time with mama & daddy, and when it was time for Dan to leave, ran to the window to wave and said "bye"! Cutest thing ever!

Loves to color!

Best thing about April is being able to get outside more.

Trips to the park and the farm.

Cookouts with friends.

And bike rides!

Such a fun and full month! Hard to believe it's already coming to an end!

Long walks

2016-04-27T22:20:00.000-04:00

Warmer weather means daily walks with my little tribe. Caleb is such a trooper, rarely riding in the stroller any more! It's so fun to watch them explore and take it all in. It's especially fun to hear Caleb talk about the changing seasons and recognize the different stages of the farm fields. We're all happier with a little more fresh air!

it's SPRING!

2016-04-27T10:50:00.000-04:00

Last night we visited Foster Park for the first time. How have we lived in the Fort for 5 years and not known about this gorgeous park!!?!?? So much fun to wander through the beautiful tulips and blooming trees!

We met up with some new friends and the boys had a blast running around with their sweet girls!

They also wanted to pick ALL the flowers for mama...thanks, Daddy for teaching them such a sweet gesture!

We'll for sure be back next year to take in these blooms again!!

brothers.

2016-04-24T11:05:00.000-04:00

I pray each day that these two grow to be the best of friends. Abel ADORES his big brother, and Caleb is such a great leader! I love how they're beginning to play together and enjoy one another's company! This summer is going to be so much fun!

Touch-A-Truck 2016.

2016-04-23T11:01:00.000-04:00

This might just be the coolest event for kids!!! A local college filled the parking lot with trucks, busses, semi's, and machines of all kinds and kids (of all ages) were free to climb and explore!!

Caleb's first stop was the MONSTER TRUCK, of course!

Since Daddy had to work, Mama was flying solo, which meant that Abel spent much of the morning in the stroller, but did enjoy checking out the school bus, city bus and flatbed truck!

Caleb, on the other hand, got to climb into the drivers seat of some of his favorite trucks!

What a fun morning! Can't wait for next year...hopefully Daddy can come along too!

dear abel // 15 months

2016-04-21T11:13:00.000-04:00

Dear Abel,

The past 15 months have been challenging and stretching, but so full of joy, love, and laughter. You are mama's boy, through and through. You must know where mama is at all times...and if mama's in sight, you must be touching her! We love your adorable sense of humor and your go with the flow attitude (again as long as mama's near you're happy to go anywhere!). You're strong and stubborn, which is a great skill when interacting with your big brother - you can hold your own just fine! That sweet smile of yours is so contagious, but you are not afraid to voice your opinion about anything. You love to climb and explore, if it's off limits, you're ready to check it out. We often find you on top of the kitchen table finishing up someone's leftovers, or attempting to climb a latter or standing on top of the couch...you name it, you've tried to scale it! We love your sense of adventure! Keep growing and exploring, little one.

Love,

mama & daddy

prosper where you're planted.

2016-03-17T07:05:00.001-04:00

To whom much is given, much is required.

Luke 12:48

Do you ever feel like you just want out, like you want to just start over with a clean slate? We've been living in this house for nearly 5 years and most days I just want to start over. I want to strip the house down to the bare bones and call a "re-do." I dream of moving to a new house where the walls aren't peeling and the kitchen is beautifully tiled, where the doors actually close and the floors hold in the heat. Where I feel comfortable inviting others over to share a meal. You see, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this house. It's been such a beautiful journey turing it into our own, but the reality is that it's just not my dream house. And because of this, I often focus on the flaws, focus on all the things I hate about living here, vs. seeing all the amazing beauty that we've brought to this once dilapidated property.

I'm currently reading Dani Johnson's "First Steps to Wealth" and this morning as I read through the chapter entitled "Prosper Where You're Planted", this phase struck a cord...

Look at what you have now. If you cannot be trusted with that, you will never get the house you are dreaming of!

WOW. Talk about a reality check. There's so much truth in those words. I have SO MUCH. This house offers us everything that we need! We are so blessed to have a beautiful home filled with love and laughter. It's easy to let things go and say that "I'll do better next time. I'll take better care of the next house, because it'll be nicer." But the reality is, I'm here, NOW. I have a responsibility to take the best possible care of what I have now. I'm responsible for setting an example to my children that just because you don't "like" something, doesn't mean you don't take care of it!

I can't help but think, these are the values I strive every day to teach my children. Most days I'm taking away one or more of Caleb's toys because he's not playing with it properly or respectfully. I think sometimes as adults we don't translate these core values into our adult lives. But truly, if we can't be trusted with what we have....whether that be possessions in our home, job responsibilities, obligations/commitments to our friends and family...how can we ever be trusted with more?!

So, while I continue to dream of that beautiful brick farm house in the country, with a pristine kitchen, clawfoot tub, stunning hardwood floors, radiant heating, and a garden brimming with fresh vegetables...I will make every effort to care for this little blue house! To make it the most beautiful and functional home for our little family. I will wake up each day with positivity and see good in the little. I will invite others into this space and share meals together, creating memories together that will last a lifetime! I will prosper right here where I'm planted!!!

mama's mornings.

2016-03-15T16:39:00.000-04:00

I used to be a morning person!

I loved waking early, before the sun and getting my day started in the stillness of the early dawn.

Then I became a mother and my nights began to be peppered with feedings and fussy babies. I no longer needed an alarm, but instead crying babies were my wake-up call. Over the past two years and a half years, I've conditioned my body to HATE mornings because it never feels like I get enough sleep! I have also grown increasingly frustrated at my lack of "me-time" as there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day, and there's no way, on such little sleep, that I could imagine waking up early!

A few weeks ago, Dan picked up the book The Miracle Morning. I had heard of it from a friend a few months back but didn't give it much thought because, well, I'm no longer a morning person! At Dan's suggestion, I started reading the book...and I couldn't put it down!! I was intrigued. Could changing my routine and waking up early again really change my day, mood, and life?!

You know what?! After just a few days of beginning to implement these strategies into my morning, I'm already feeling like a whole new person. The author focuses on 6 major areas that you should address during your morning routine...Silence, Affirmations, Visualizations, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing. You can spend as much or as little time on each area as you choose...it's completely up to you how you spend your morning!

Today I woke up at 5:30am, sat in silence/prayer, did some yoga, said my affirmations & did some visualizations, then read for about 30 minutes....I don't remember the last time I had 30 minutes of uninterrupted reading where I wasn't about to fall asleep! By 7am, when the boys were awake, I had not only completed my new morning routine, but I'd showered and had muffins in the oven for breakfast. I felt unstoppable! Full of energy and motivation to tackle the day!

Oh, how I've missed my mornings! I love the stillness and quite, and can't wait until the warmer months when I can get outside during this quite time!

I'm committing the next 30 days to waking up early and continuing this routine. I know that there will be days when I'm up in the night with the boys again and I won't want to get out of bed, however I know that this making this morning routine a habit will be life changing!!

If you're interested in learning more about The Miracle Morning, check out their website, it's full of free resources! There is even an incredible online community that you can join for accountability.

And if you're ready to jumpstart your day with your own Miracle Morning, join me! I'd love to have some accountability as I embark on this journey to taking back my mornings!

Links throughout are affiliate. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I receive a small commission.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the Ankneys!

2015-12-31T15:46:00.001-05:00

Hard to believe this year has come to a close already! It's been a year filled with loads of challenges but lots of amazing blessings.

In January, we welcomed our second son, Abel Henry. He's such a happy and easy going little buddy. His favorite activity is to watch his big brother! He started walking at 10 months and has been on the move ever since. He currently has 7 teeth and loves to chew on anything in sight! It's hard to imagine our life before this sweet boy! Can't wait to celebrate his first birthday in just 3 weeks!!

Caleb turned two this summer and continues to amaze us. His bubbly and outgoing personality lights up any room! His favorite toys are cars, trucks, and trains. He loves to play pretend and often gives life to his toys! He talks non-stop and tells the funniest jokes! We love watching his little mind work, taking in the world around him! Two is such a fun age!

This month Dan celebrated 5 years with Sweetwater. He continues to enjoy his work in the studio! In his "spare time" he loves working in the garden and continuing to fix up our little blue house! He loves being a dad and teaching his boys all kinds of things! We're both looking forward to this summer when they'll both be able to him help in the garden!

Jess loves spending her days at home with the boys, watching them grow and learn! She loves taking them to story time at the library, visiting the zoo, playing at the park, and visiting Daddy at Sweetwater! In her spare time, she shares about essential oils and teaches classes for her homebred business with Young Living. She kind of fell into the business side of Young Living and it has not only given her such purpose and filled the void that leaving the classroom had left, but has allowed us some added financial security! We look forward to the incredible opportunities this company will bring our whole family!

We celebrated our 7th anniversary in November with a little getaway to Winona Lake. Our time away was so sweet and such a time of renewal for us! We spent out time together dreaming great things for our marriage and family!

2015 has been an incredible year of growth for our little family. Growth isn't always easy, as we've learned time and again this year! We are so looking forward to 2016...it's going to be BIG! The Best is Yet to Come!!

Praying you have a joy filled holiday and a blessed new year!

With Love,

the Ankneys!

Happy 1/2 birthday Caleb!

2015-12-30T15:46:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, in celebration of his half-birthday, Caleb and I made yummy Cinnamon Rolls. Unfortunately, two is hard and he missed out on trying them after dinner. So today, we had a fun little celebration after nap time!

Two really is the best age! Love this sweet boy so so much!

Christmas Morning 2015

2015-12-25T16:50:00.000-05:00

Every other year we head to Pennsylvania to celebrate Christmas with Dan's family. This year was extra special as there were two new littles to join in on the fun! Love watching these three together and can't wait to see all the memories that will be made as they grow!

{Caleb 2.5 yrs. // Abel 11 mo. // Helena 1 yr.}

abel henry // 11 months

2015-12-20T20:39:00.000-05:00

The pages fall off the calendar so quickly, these days. It's hard to imagine we're a month away from celebrating your first birthday!

You're very much mama's boy!! You love to snuggle and stay close. Some days you just don't want to be put down.

You've been such a different eater than big brother. Though you don't dislike food, you mostly just can't be bothered! You'd much rather snuggle with mama and enjoy some milk!

decorating cookies with my boy.

2015-12-11T10:38:00.000-05:00

This is the best age! So many fun activities we get to do together!