Randoms.

post by Casey.

Rocky’s little drawings:). I especially loved the American Flag he added to his boat!

Evan and I braved the hospital to visit a friend:). I think the last time we came here was when Ike was hospitalized with RSV in 2017? - boy we’ve come a million years as a family since then, thankfully. I couldn’t believe I’d been wheeled or walked those hallways 4 times before to have babies - something that went well, thankfully..but in hindsight, could have ended very differently - a place I pray we’ll be able to continue to avoid for the foreseeable future.

Not gonna lie…I was very stressed having to enter an establishment that ‘requires’ masks - I didn’t wear one and was never told or asked to wear one and I would have chosen to leave if that had been the case. 

While I nursed Evan in the lobby, there was a gentleman (in his early 60’s, if I had to guess) sitting a few chairs away with a gator covering his nose and mouth - I didn’t think anything of it. He kept glancing at me and then finally I saw him pull his gator down:). He proceeded to engage in a conversation with me about his family - his 2 grown children…a son 27 and daughter 30…were successful and good…and he was very proud:). He choked up talking about having felt like he achieved the few goals he had set for himself in his life: to raise good kids - check!, to stay married - going on 33yrs, check!, and to retire - he said he and his wife have fought about more stupid shit in the last 6mo than in their whole marriage…retirement has been an adjustment;) but he’s still so happy - CHECK!:)

Me being maskless lead to his gator coming down and before you know it we were talking family, politics and God.

We aligned on so much and had a conversation that I don’t believe would have happened had I walked in with my face covered…I believed him when he said he thought we ran into each-other for a reason:).

I love our 2012 Suburban so much…but sometimes I send Jacob things like this and we contemplate whether a downgrade would be worth an attached garage!;):)

Before + After of what might have been some amazing sweet potato bites! Lesson learned…mom needs to set an alarm because…no, she will not remember;).

 

Putting the final touches on our little church wedding ceremony:). We have heels - the most expensive part of the whole shindig, coming it at $54 - the dress was thrifted for $6.50:). I also ordered a little gold band for myself…$12 on Etsy. I had the same thing (but for $8;) almost 12yrs ago but it broke off a few years back.

 

Also, narrowing down ideas for the Anthropologie GC I still haven’t spent from the last year or 2 of birthdays!? These are both very expensive but are 2 items I’m considering - I love the chair and I’d want to purchase 2 of the sconces for our living-room:).

I saw this book at the local library and have plans to go back for a copy!! A couple thoughts ran through my head when I saw it:

1/ a new (in the last 3yrs) found?!/reignited?! pride and defense of our neighbors and community and hometown - Dorchester + Colby + Unity (nothing against Abbotsford, I’ve just never had any roots there:).

2/ an immediate curiosity of the history here anddddd it has me wanting to take that quick drive past the main strip to really look at the few old buildings that remain! I do have the airstream for a potential future ‘shop’ but a little brick and mortar store - extra points for actual brick and character;) - would also be a dream.

You can find A Village Called Unity by Alan Gurtner here.

Speaking of little-someday-shops…Jacob asked me this morning what I wanted to do and the first thing that came to mind was: THRIFTING!:)

I find myself wondering recently if these things…the stuff we gravitate towards, love, enjoy?!…maybe God put these things on our hearts? Or maybe I just want to make it okay in my brain to thrift once a week;). Regardless…I don’t know if this is what I ‘should do’. I don’t know if I’m actually any good at it or have an ‘eye’ for it. I don’t know how I’d make any money at it…but there’s a nudge and I pray it’s a God nudge. 

Above are a couple things I added to my thrifted tote recently:).

The kids playing Church…lead by Deacon Smith;):).

It’s almost over. It’s almost over. It’s almost over;)

Mostly, kidding…winter ain’t allllll bad!

(2 of 3:). My girls:).

I misspoke in my last post…after a few pages I realized I’d already read Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah. I’m really excited about this one - it’ll probably be more disturbing than ‘exciting’…but I have a feeling I’ll be encouraging everyone to pick this one up.

You can find this book here:).

And now the portion of the post where I…dum dum dummmmm…share my opinnnnionnnnn;):). 

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!:)

The topic surrounding the trans movement/agenda…whatever you’d like to call this growing/spreading/complicated issue…as a woman and a mother…is one that I’m feeling more and more…I’m taking more and more issue with. 

Allie speaks to this on her podcast here.

“…and he is celebrated by female organizations and by corporations for doing this. For displaying what, honestly, is a very offensive, very condescending, very patronizing, very infantilizing depiction of what it means to be a girl or to be a woman. He has gotten millions of dollars in sponsorships, millions and millions of followers. He is influencing young people, young girls in-particular, to imagine that this is what it means to be feminine. That to be a girl isn’t really anything substantive, it isn’t anything biological, it isn’t anything real. It’s something that you can take on and put off. 

You can become a girl just by wearing lipstick, by growing out your hair. It doesn’t matter if you have male genitalia, it doesn’t matter if you have male dna, it doesn’t matter if you have a male body, it doesn’t matter if you have a 5 o’clock shadow, it doesn’t matter if you have every indication of being a male…you can still be a woman cause it’s something as superficial as wearing a skirt.

That, apparently, is where progressiveness has taken us. It’s so progressive that we have completely forgotten one of the most fundamental tenants of reality, actually the foundation of all of human existence and that is that there is male and there is female and their innate differences…all of us exist because of the innate differences between male and female.

And so this person is a representation of the denial of reality and the celebration and the glorification of the denial of reality.

This person is a manifestation of Romans 1: we are exchanging the truth of God for a lie. We are diluting our minds because of sin, because of an exchange of the God of scripture for the God of self.”

I’m not sure if you’re familiar with/aware of Substack? It’s another online platform that you subscribe to/follow people - free or paid…for videos/information/newsletters. Slowdown Farmstead is one that I’ve enjoyed following for free here.

This mornings newsletter was on the longer side but I loved so much about it. I screenshot a couple excerpts - below - that I found especially good:).

A Break For Lent.

post by Casey.

Happy Monday!:)

Sooooo it’s been a whole 14days since I’ve been on Instagram…where I do the majority of my sharing…it honestly feels like it’s been SO much longer than that! It’s also been relatively easy staying off this time around. I’ve taken ‘breaks’ before…I think I made it a month at one point? But it’s always been difficult for me to stay away from that app. Probably because I’m a chronic-over-sharer:). I really do enjoy sharing most everything - the good, bad and ugly! But I’m sure there was a bit of an addiction to the scroll as well.

Buttttt this time around I’m not at all interested in coming back. Remember like 2yrs ago when I was considering leaving all together and I even got like a Gabb Phone and none of that ended up working out?!!! - I’m exhausted just thinking about that rollercoaster;). Well, maybe that was just one more step in the direction of leaving for good. Maybe I wasn’t quite ready yet, at that point? Ah, who freaking knows and how ridiculous it feels to even care about an app but I’ve really curated my space there and found a lot of things and people and inspiration that I do like. It ain’t all bad but this break has me thinking:).

Instagram was always my biggest time suck and I’ve certainly filled it with other things  - not all great - but I’ve been able to leave brain space for writing and thinking and reading:).

We even started an I’m Bored List for the kids! Anyone who says “I’m Bored!” - which I think they do out of sheer habit now and not actual boredom:| - has to pick something to do off the I’m Bored List!!

I really need to start one of these lists for myself as well. For instance…today I’m not highly motivated but I coulddddd be doing something but I can’t think of anything that hasssss to be done - and we all know there’s plenty that could be getting done!;) So I could really use a list of small projects or tasks that I could reference when I feel stumped!:)

Okay…so, overall, maybe it hasssss been just a littleeeeee boring around here lately;). 

I’ve had a couple people ask if we’ve been up to anything at/in our Chokecherry home…nope, not really. I do have a lot of inspiration saved and could potentially fill a whole blog post just on that:).

I did just get my alpaca book in the mail: Alpaca Keeping by Harry Fields. So getting a little alpaca sanctuary set-up is on the Spring To Do List. As well as enclosing the front porch, pouring a slab for an eventual garage, planting more trees…a lot of outdoor projects, obviously:).

Books read, so far, in 2023. Starting Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah today:)

Saw this group of the prettiest blue books at St. Vinnies recently and would love them for my someday-built-in-shelves:). Buy now…figure out if they’re worth actually reading later;).

Someone will be 9mo this week! She’s still nursing and cosleeping - minus the sleeping part;). No teeth yet and she’s full on crawling (which I don’t feel like any of my kids actually did?! They mostly just drug themselves around until they got up and walking;). We’ve given her some little bits of cut up food (maybe twice;) but she’s mostly just playing with it. She’s a little ham and we love her very much:).

I recently found a new recipe for our laundry detergent that I think will, hopefully, save us a bit of money. I currently purchase Young Livings laundry soup and make a mixture with that (and do love) but this new one would be all dry (and still nontoxic) ingredients but cheaper! My only hesitation in switching is that these liquid containers wouldn’t work and I’d have to purchase a new container:/. You can find the recipe here:).

Lent and this Instagram break have coincided with quite a few larger life events - like my upcoming 40th birthday and Jacob and I being remarried in our church at the end of the month:). I ended up thrifting the dress I’ll wear for our little ceremony for $6.50 and then of course, fell in love with these very expensive shoes that I will not be purchasing…such is life;):).

The bunnies got to chill in the house while we cleaned bunny cages and got them set-up outside! These warmer temps have us really looking forward to Spring!

I recently thrifted these little clocks - it was the typography for me:). I actually…finally…started a tote with some of those thrifted finds that I felt were special enough to hang-on to for a someday/dream airstream shop?! Who knows:). Maybe this another one of those first steps:).

Mae doing Mae things;). Naked cupcake cooking!

Proof Of Mom/Life.

My new found love of highlighting continues;):).

You’re Not Enough (and that’s okay) by Allie Beth Stuckey

Stumbled upon this adorable graphic the other day and thought it would be cute for the kids! I sent out an email to get a higher quality copy for the Easter Basket:). You can find it here:).

And now that I got your toes a little wet with that adorable but religious graphic;)…here’s your official Heads-Up that below are just a few things (COVID) I’ve listened to (POLITICAL) or are interesting me (RELIGIOUS) recently. Take it or leave it;).

And on that note…have a wonderful week!

“…I really wonder if all of us haven’t just been functioning off of cortisol and adrenaline and fight or flight for the last 3yrs and now that the fog or that weight is lifting a little bit…we’re all just freaking exhausted. Because look around you, doesn’t it seem like the real life people (I’m not talking about the media), everybody's tired. The restaurant workers are tired, healthcare workers are tired, moms are exhausted, dads are tired, kids are tired. Maybe we’re exhausted because we just walked through 3yrs of collective trauma and gaslighting and now we’re catching our breath a little bit and so we’re just exhausted. Compound that with the fact that we live in a culture - largely for those that live in western civilization - with literally no off switch…”

You can find this episode here:).

Jacob sends me a lot of videos that don’t end up getting watched;) but this was worth the 13min.

You can watch/listen here.

If you’re not already aware…there’s a pretty important election coming up on April4. I try to focus more on the ‘controllables’ - my family, our home - but I’m gonna share about this local election, in hopes that you’ll get out and vote and that the outcome will be in our favor:).

And for those of you in our township, Jacob will be working this election (his 3rd!:), so come vote and say Hi!

Article above linked here.

Article above linked here.

You can find this episode here.

“…she says: it’s a human right. Abortions a human right.

Of course…not surprised to hear them say that this is their position. But I’ve yet to hear them explain that. What do you mean it’s a human right? How do you know it’s a human right? Where does this human right come from? Where does it originate? Where do rights come from in general? 

The founders of our country believed that human rights are rooted in the supernatural, in God. They come from the creator. We have our human, our natural rights by virtue, the fact that we are human beings. We are endowed with them by the creator. Is that what you believe? So then are you then claiming that we have a natural God given right to kill our children? So God creates the baby but then also gives us the moral right to kill those babies that he creates? Is that the argument you want to make? And if the right doesn’t come from God…where does it come from? How do you know it exists? 

The only other option is that the rights come from the government. That’s where all rights come from and it’s just something the government comes up with, basically, arbitrarily. The rights are rooted in the whims of the government. The problem then is that if the government says: okay we’re taking that right away, then you have nothing to appeal to beyond the government…you have nothing beyond or above the government to appeal to. So it doesn’t make any sense to say: no, that’s a right you can’t take it away.

Well, the government decides what a right is…so if the government decides it’s not a right anymore, then it’s not.”

my cup overflows.

Post By Casey.

I didn’t read even 1 page of that book…but I do travel with a diffuser now;).

It’s 1121PM. Evan is stretched out horizontally across the bed…starting with her head on my belly like a pillow;):). 

This feels very reminiscent of the newborn days…”when the darkness comes”…as my sister Mal and I call it - the dread you feel as night falls and you know it’s unlikely to bring rest and you just…kinda lay there (very possibly crying quietly😬🫠), wishing for dawn to break - I would always just tell myself that if I could make it till 4AM…4AM was a reasonable time to crawl out of bed and start coffee:). 

But here we are almost 9months in and still…no sleep.

(1244AM…less than 4 more hours🙂🙏🏻)

After months - j/k…it’s absolutely been years at this point - of sleeping in much less than 4hr chunks…my face is taking the brunt of my exhaustion…well, that and my attitude. I do so so…okay…until I can’t be okay with it anymore. Tonight is one of those nights. 

Writing helps:).

My apologies for seemingly never feeling like writing when I’m in a positive and inspired mood…but I will say…though they sometimes begin from a ‘negative’ place…I hope you know I always find my way to a hopeful one:).

Since I’ve been on on an Instagram break for Lent, you might not have known that I attended my Great Uncles funeral in Iowa over the last few days. Myself, Evan (8months) and Mae (2-1/2years) rode with my parents all the way to Iowa (where the girls and I set up shop in a hotel…to not sleep for 48hrs;). It was honestly…wonderful. 

Is it not the goal in life, to live 92 full, cognizant years, surrounded by the family you built? 

I’m linking his obituary HERE if you happen to be wading through sleepless nights for any reason and care to read about the very full life of a pretty great man:).

Someone said to my mom recently: look at the legacy you’ve created!

May the years of sleepless nights be the hardest thing I ever face. 

They’ll surely be worth the legacy I hope we’re creating.

RIP Uncle Duane🙏🏻❤️.

I meant to grab photos with and of the family but this is the only one I got…in the driveway when I was dropping them off after we got back home;)

Drinking From The Saucer - John Paul Moore