The Fall:)

post by Casey.

We’re trying to settle into a ‘new’ routine around here…everyone up before 9AM (H + Theo like to sleep-in), make beds, clean room, a couple chores, breakfast…thennnnn school, lunch, relax!!!😅:)

It took at least a week of consistency (on my part) and complaining (on theirs) but I feel like we might have at least a little bit of a handle on things (the mess…our mornings:).

It’s hard to believe the seasons are changing again, already. Theres still at least a month?! until we make it official but the cooler temps in the morning + evenings won’t be letting us forget that it’s on its way. And shortly after-ish, a baby❤️:).

I’m not ready for fall and I’m not ready for a baby…or is it birth?!;) I want to enjoy summer a bit longer. And I want to enjoy and really savor what’s left of this pregnancy. I don’t know that this will be our last but I guess I’m trying to enjoy it as if it were.

Thats probably the main reason I’m taking a nice healthy break from IG…really the only platform that gets me scrolling to no end (I no longer have Pinterest and I’m not on FB - outside of trying to sell a few things…so if you’re wondering why I haven’t responded to your friend request…it’s because I know that would suck me in;). It’s taken a couple days and I’m still ending the day watching House Hunters in bed instead of reading😬…but I truly feel better already:). Being more disconnected simply leaves more time for other things, most of which are simply more important.

I was able to focus on working on a better routine with the kids. I put my phone away while I nurse Evan, instead of scrolling. It truly just leaves room for thought…quiet. I can’t believe how much time, or how many times per day, I grab my phone to fill a void/hole…even if only a very short time…with scrolling, checking if someone sent me a Marco Polo, checking for any new emails (90% of the time they’re spam or sales:/), checking for new updates on this event or controversial topic…filling.every.second.

“God has met his people in moments of silence.”

When I disconnect, I really see my children. I can’t believe how perfect they are!!! How animated their stories are! How dirty their faces are after a day of nonstop play;). I really see God in those moments…shared through the joy I see in my babies faces. A book or a song on the radio never distracts me or pulls me away from that as much as my phone (or even a podcast) does. And I get how that all sounds…it’s a phone🫠. How ridiculous! But I really believe that if we allow it…technology can rob us of so much (as I write a blog post you’ll read from your phone or computer;). Does anyone else feel less compelled to read long form anymore these days? Avoiding length for the ease of a ‘short’ or meme? I’ve been there. It doesn’t seem to be doing my brain any favors.

“The world of men has forgotten the joys of silence, the peace of solitude which is necessary, to some extent, for the fullness of human living. While the inner voice is not heard…life is always miserable and exhausting…if a man is constantly exiled from his own home, locked out of his own spiritual solitude, he ceases to be a true person.”

“Without silence, we struggle to know ourselves and who God created us to be. When our minds are constantly filled with outside stimuli, it becomes impossible to make space for the lessons that silence can teach us about God, about ourselves, and about his work in the world each day.”

I really loved the above excerpt from an article in Reclaim Today:).

I hope to share a bit of our days here from time to time, while I’m staying offline:).  And below is just a bit of a round up/visual of things we’re doing, things I’m ordering, things I’m reading, etc!:)

All.The.Things:

Things I Ordered/Am Ordering:

- I’ve been collecting these Alphabet Wall Hooks since Homer was born but hadn’t caught-up since R for Rocky:). I got everyone ordered now after finding this Etsy Shop that sells them! I hope to grab one for the baby when he/she is born + named:) 

- I also ordered curtains + shades for the MBedroom + Bath:)

- and I plan to order the kids’ school curriculum TODAY!!:)

Things I’m Listening To:

- Old Fashioned On Purpose podcast:). It’s actually where I stumbled upon this years homeschool curriculum!

- I continue to listen to The Bible In A Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz! I’m on day234!

 

Our raw milk hook-up is out of town for a few weeks but the organic whole milk we purchased in the meantime is frothing nicely!!;)

We switched up sleeping arrangements a few nights ago! Evan was finally moved upstairs to share a room with Mae!:)

The weeds in the garden have completely taken over but we still love the garden! A fun addition this year has been the sunflowers, wildflowers, and corn:).

 

“The workers are here!!!” - the kids every morning;).

Almost all the siding is complete. We’re waiting on about 3 more windows to be installed. They’ve started trimming out the windows that are installed. We’re very close to the finish line of THIS project;):).

Things I’m Reading:

- a snippet of the Bible every morning:)

- A Bride in the Bargin: turning out to be a really great one!!!

- and some longer writing on Substack. I really love Rachel Reeves…WRITES. Really good stuff. Her most recent post was actually sharing people’s experiences losing relationships during Covid + BLM (and continuing to this day over politics/etc). I can’t imagine this article wouldn’t hit home for a lot of people - myself included.

You can also find her as HereAreTheHeadlines on Instagram. A great follow.

 

Things I’m Loving:

- No surprise here…but my skincare:). 

Left: No make-up, just my Oliveda products.

Right: Minimal make-up because I don’t know what I’m doing;).

All of this is ridiculously expired and now even more janky since the girls got into it:| BUT there’s a light at the end of the tunnel…Oliveda is coming out with a new line of make-up and even this Mostly-Make-Up-Free-Mama is excited!!! They’re hoping to be releasing these products around October!:)

The Love Duo (20% cheaper when purchased as a set) is currently available! I have yet to use the F63 but I use the F06 daily and it remains an all-time favorite!!:)

You can use my link HERE for purchases.

You can use the link HERE to take a quick skincare quiz that will make suggestions based on your personal skin type/issues.

You can sign-up as a Consultant HERE - there are so many benefits to being a consultant but that 25% discount on products is a game changer! For example: it brings that Love Duo price down from $101.95 to $76.46 + Free Shipping!:)

The boys came up with a little side hussle all on their own and I couldn’t be prouder! They went outside and made crosses (so.many.crosses;) out of all the scrap wood they’ve been finding!! They’re trying to sell these (price point is about $1-$5;). Message me if you’re in the market for one! They’ve been looking especially adorable leaning up against a house/in the landscaping or against a garden fence:).

We had our first disaster with the scissors (A.V.😩!!!!!). 

Not gonna lie…we were both on the verge of tears!:’)

Thank you for reading!! You can subscribe to my blog by filling in your email address at the top right corner of the home page! I believe it will then automatically send you an alert any time I’ve posted…which I can promise won’t be TOO annoyingly often;):).

2023:)

post by Casey.

DECEMBER 2022

I had just sat down with my espresso and Bible this morning when Rocky needed my help with the front door - I had asked him to take the puppy out (yesssss…we got a puppy…I’ll introduce him towards the end:). I watched him run around, in his puffy orange winter jacket, hood up, in blue swim shoes…with a big ol’ white fluff ball hobbling behind him on the frosty, iced grass:). In the background Rachel Lampas, Somebody to You is playing on 89Q, a channel we switched to recently - on my Grandma Biezes old wooden table top radio:).

“Don’t gotta be somebody when I’m already somebody to you…got nothing to prove anymore, so there’s nothing to lose anymore. You’re gonna keep on loving me for more than just the things that I do…”.

It brought tears to my eyes, seeing this moment I could have easily missed. I might have went to grab my drink, get Evan off the table, scroll on my phone…but I didn’t and it felt like a memory I was meant to have. One of those quick, 2minute moments…glimpses of the good ol’ days in real time:).

2023 was a really great year for us and as we leave it behind I’m moving forward with the very real realization - or reminder - that what we consume…what consumes our hearts, minds, bodies, moments, days, lives…what we allow in…the scrolling, the music, the food, the information, the people, the books, words…it all matters. It all adds up. It takes up space. We have to be so careful that what we are allowing to fill us up is serving us in a healthy way mentally, physically, and I believe, most importantly, spiritually. 

So below are just a few of my favorite memories from 2023! Going back through the photo album is always such a big reminder of ALL that we did and accomplished in just 365 days! It never feels like SO much! 

Celebrations, travel, beach days, thrifting, animals, church, road trips, hikes, cookouts, fires, library, walks…anddddd some yelling, fights, disagreements, depression, death, health scares, and sleepless nights sprinkled throughout. 

But I can honestly say…we grew in our love for God the most this year:). I began reading through the Bible this year, every single day I read and Jacob and I are ending the year praying together daily. 

This crazy world is going to keep spinning (out of control) but I truly believe that a relationship with God can slow it all down a bit. Life still isn’t all easy breezy but God has helped my family focus. Every time we’ve made room in our lives and hearts for God…we’ve felt more at peace than ever before.

Going into 2024 I want silence and consistency. I want to be quiet - if you know me…you know how big of a challenge this will be for me;). Quiet…maybe that means no Instagram, actually shutting up, observing, not reacting, being thoughtful/patient/kind, giving grace (to others and to myself). And doing all of that and more - my time with God, my presence/attitude with the kids - consistently. 

I don’t love making goals, as I can be a pretty easily overwhelmed/stimulated person:/. But in 2024 I just want to hit my stride. I want the few things I know I could and should be doing…to become my focus and priority. I want quiet, consistency…I want constant. I want contentment. 

I want to remember that the small daily changes, as boring as they can feel…an egg before coffee, the Bible before I scroll, a workout before the kids wake up, chores, school, dishes and dinner, a 15minute walk, baths and a book, a prayer with my husband before a not quite so late bedtime…all add up to a very beautiful life.

A life with God is so good, even when life isn’t. 

MARCH 2023

I turned 40:)

MARCH 2023

Jacob and I have our marriage blessed by the church.

APRIL 2023

Jacob and I are confirmed:).

MAY 2023

Huckleberry Bloom makes her debut (my baby sister, Mallory’s, flower business!!!:). 

Courtney graduates as a midwife!!!:)

JUNE 2023

Baby Evan turns one:).

JUNE 2023

I start reading through the Bible for the first time in my life:).

JULY 2023

Our every-other-year Zimmerman Family Fun Vacation!!:)

 

JULY 2023

Jacob turns 40:)

SEPTEMBER 2023

We start homeschooling!

OCTOBER 2023

My sister, Pigg, moved into her new house and my parents move to their ‘shop apartment’!!:)

 

NOVEMBER 2023

We lost our boy, Murphy. We paid a lot of money to an emergency vet and left with no answers:( Our hearts were broken.

DECEMBER 2023

We welcomed, Woody:). He is a mix of Great Pyrenees, Bernese Mountain Dog, and Newfoundland. He truly has brought us so much joy after the sudden loss of Murphy. And what a fun and probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance to surprise the kids with a dog ON Christmas:).

I promise their dad exists - I did marry him twice now;) - but this is one of the busiest times of the year for a caterer so most group photos are missing our favorite guy:/.

DECEMBER 2023

As Homer said at the end of 2022, when asked what he was looking forward to in the New Year: 

Another year to love you.

God + Family, another year to love them. Another year to keep trying:).

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Happy New Year, friends!

Randoms.

post by Casey.

Last week (j/k…it’s been at least a few weeks now that this post has been sitting in my drafts:) was a whirlwind and for once I can say that had nothing to do with exhaustion (maybe slightly;) or illness running through the house…but just all.good.things (mostly?!;).

March is always a pretty fun month - we celebrate 4 birthdays:). But it was also my 40th birthday - March 23rd - and Jacob and I chose March 25th as the day we would have our marriage blessed by the church. I’ve got so much to say about both - no surprise;) - but I’ll save those for a separate, more lengthy, post:).

Jacob, myself andddd Evan:) went on a Birthday Date Day. We drove N to Bayfield, WI…stopping at several little coffee shops along the way! We did a little thrifting and exploring and a lot of driving and catching-up:). We ended the day with Jacob pulling me, Theo and Homer out of bed to see the Northern Lights. This was a first for me and such a magical way to begin my 40th year:).

my heart.

We had mine and Mals annual Birthday Dinner and I showed up to a pretty hilarious (and inappropriate;) surprise!!!;) My sisters and brother-in-law had printed a tank top for everyone to wear!! The kids all tried to talk me into letting them wear them to school the next day - omg…NO;).

Life has, otherwise, been rather quiet…in the best way. The chickens are laying again! We’re trying to read from the Bible with the kids every night - it’s never quiet and have you ever tried to pronounce Oholibamah;) (that’s the granddaughter through Anah of Zibeon the Hivite - if you didn’t already know;). 

Even though I don’t feel like they’re listening and there’s so much even I don’t understand…I feel like the payoff in trying will be worth it. Just continuing to take the next right step, even when it’s not the easiest:).

And then something about having chosen to celebrate our marriage in the church has felt like the next right step. And the next right step feels like the right direction…there was a lot of peace in that…and don’t get me wrong…I’m still failing out here. What I’ve deemed my ‘Peaceful Forties’ feels downright doable - says the girl who’s been 40 for 5days - j/k…it’s now been 14days but 14 good days).

I hesitate to get too used to or excited about these positive feelings because I have my own personal struggles…but every step towards God has felt big and emotional and hopeful and helpful and…good.

My Bacon Cheese Fries vs Pinterest;):). BUT they got ate:).

In pursuit of being a more helpful housewife and mama…I started meal planning. Which isn’t fun for me. BUT after only a week, I can see the fruits of that planning:). Cooking at the end of the day - with 5 kids underfoot and 1 in my arms - isn’t my idea of funnnn but having a plan is proving to make it less…not fun;).

Spring and sun, giving me life:)

Since this photo was taken, our dryer stopped working…the current 40mph winds are making it hard for me to use the line but we’re contemplating line drying for the spring/summer/fall. Anyone have tips on how to avoid crunchy clothes?;)

Evan and her smile…giving me life!!!;):)

Some recent thrifting finds:).

Thrifted earrings ($.89), gifted necklaces and my grandmas ring (priceless), thrifted dress ($6.50), and new heels ($56):).

“…if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing…” 

- 1 Corinthians 13:2-8

We have a 9yo (again;):)! I can’t believe my first born baby girl is 9:). It really does feel like just yesterday that I got a positive pregnancy test in a gas station bathroom on a road trip to Florida:). It feels like time stands still for me…I’m simultaneously frozen in time and hyper aware of how quickly it’s passing:(. 

Being a mom has been my favorite thing in the world. We love you, Theo Daisy:). 

Future thrifter;):).

A 9yo figuring out what a portable CD player is in real time!!;) I went out on a limb with this idea - she wanted some sort of portable music player. I wasn’t willing to throw her to the wolves/propaganda machine that is pretty much all media these days. This way we’ll be able to continue to try and filter what comes into our homes and into her little mind and heart! AND St. Vinnies sells CDs for just $.99:).

The CD player we purchased her, here. 

The website I used to find a few new CDs, here.

 Being a mom is hard and awesome:).

Jacobs been working on his espresso art;):). And I also can’t drink plain ol’ coffee anymore - I got a beautiful espresso machine for my bday and I loveeeee it!

We VOTED!!!:) We lost:( BUT we voted and we hoped. Regardless of the outcome, we are in good hands:).

And now just a couple things I found interesting this week:).

Did you know the US gives over $950million dollars to Uganda every year?

Below are a couple of quotes I loved from this episode of The Highwire. 

You can listen here.

“…and we started to learn how to understand our own emotions and how to bring awareness to that. And we started to learn tools on how to bring ourself from a stressful, anxious place down to a calm, peaceful place. I had the biggest aha moments there where I thought: oh my goodness, I’m 41 and I’m learning this. How much more powerful would I have been as a leader if I had learned this as a child…how to master my own emotions. How to pull tools out of my own pocket and say: okay, I’m very anxious right now, I’m going to take myself to a calm and peaceful place and I’m gonna breath through this. And I’m never gonna be a victim and I’m not gonna blame others for my emotions…”

- Leila Centner, Centner Academy

“…when we sold our company we kept saying we’ll be happy when, we’ll be happy when. Going to India and learning everything…no no no! Happiness is right here, right now, always. It’s at your fingertips. Do you want it? If you want it, it’s easy. And so teaching the kids happiness is right here, right now…it’s attainable, it’s in your hands and it’s your choice…”

- Leila Centner, Centner Academy

Happy Holy Thursday, friends.

What is Holy Thursday?