Weekly Ramble 6/1/24

Hello, Hi, How are you?

I am ready for June. Dang. So happy to turn the page on May. As you know by now, it didn’t live up to its expectations, so I’m ready for a new month.

Spending time setting up my planner for a new month is always something I enjoy. Since this time last year, I’ve been using the GoodNotes App in conjunction with my Print & Go Planner. It’s been a game changer for productivity and a time-saver since I always have access to my planner if I’ve got one of my devices on hand.

Part of me does miss the tactile feel of paper, stickers, and markets, but using the ipad makes the most sense.

Anywho, even though I knew the month was changing, it still took me by surprise a bit. I’m hoping to carve out a couple hours for planning this weekend.

Thank you!

Thank you to those who took the survey I sent out recently. It was fun to learn what’s going on with you and what you need or want for your Life as Mom.

It was super fascinating to see some themes throughout the responses. I’m still poring over the data, but it has been super interesting at first glance.

I’ve been praying about this little space for awhile now. I dialed down the personal for awhile, partly to protect my kids’ privacy and partly to protect myself from a toxic, stalking relative. But, I think I sense God’s prompting to be more active here, especially when it comes to helping moms (of all ages) do this thing called motherhood.

The world really needs moms to step up and nurture their children, to make them a priority, to see them and hear them, but also to guide them in good choices. The world is so broken right now.

I do not claim to have this all figured out. What good I’ve done in my own home is thanks to God’s divine intervention and certainly not from something amazing in me.

The world needs moms. Your kids need you. They will never outgrow that.

So, I’m not sure what God wants me to do exactly here on LAM, but I’m praying about it and hope you will join me. It’s not a mega-site or anything. I get that. But, good things can start small — and maybe even stay small. I want to be faithful with this space regardless.

Topics on Life as Mom

Ramble, ramble… here’s how the numbers are stacking for content choices so far:

The topics here on Life as Mom have ranged here quite a lot over the years as much as my life has. When I started writing in this space, my kids were 1 to 10 and I was pregnant with our last. We’ve homeschooled, traveled, paid off debt, and eaten well.

99% of the recipes are now over on Good Cheap Eats, just for simplicity’s sake. Everything else is here.

According to the survey respondents (about 4% of the mailing list), your most requested topics currently are:

1. Budgeting and Saving Money
2. Home Organization
3. Time Management

Parenting high school and beyond and family travel get honorable mentions.

Thankfully, these are all things that are in my purview. That doesn’t mean I won’t update older posts on the other topics, but as my homeschooling career comes to a close, I’m not likely to start researching and/or posting about curriculum.

Instead, I’ll be offering suggestions and encouragement to moms who want to homeschool, as I count that in the top 5 of best things I ever did for my family.

If you didn’t take the survey, please do. If you’ve got more to add, hop to the comments section and let’s chat!

Meanwhile, here’s my five favorite things of the week:

Five Favorite Things

1 – FishChick15’s handiwork

One of my main homeschooling goals came from my teaching days. It is the idea of teaching your kids to learn.

My teacher education professor hammered it into us back in 1994 that teaching kids to learn is better than teaching kids literature.

If they know how to learn. nothing can stop them.

This could probably become a post on its own, but this is something that I’m excited about for my kids. They all know how to go about learning something they want to do, figuring it out, and doing the research.

Case in point: FishChick15 has taught herself several textile arts, including embroidery and crochet. She has turned her love of crochet into numerous gifts for friends and family. This Studio Ghibli bag is one that she designed and crocheted for a friend. Isn’t it amazing?

You can see the flipside of the bag on my reel.

2 – Birthday Treats

On my birthday on Monday (Hello 52!), I counted up 17 freebies in various food apps on my phone. The Starbucks one I had to redeem on my birthday, but I’m enjoying spreading the rest of them out throughout the next few weeks.

One morning this week, I enjoyed a Panera Orange Scone and a Peets coffee in a lovely flower garden near a Trader Joe’s, reading a book. I have to say that my orange scones are still way better!

3 – Leaning Into God’s Will and Weather

It’s been an ongoing discussion between Bryan and I since it rained during half our Hawaiian vacation; whenever one of us complains about the weather, he launches into a mini Ted talk about how that’s the one thing that we can be sure God wants for us today. The weather.

I knew better than to whine about the coastal fog on our recent vacation day. lol! He reminded me again that my beef was with God.

But it kinda all goes back to what I was saying last week, doesn’t it, and learning to be content with whatever the circumstances?

I’m not there yet, and it’s not honestly a “favorite thing” yet, but it will be. Trusting what God has provided to be good.

4 – Salads

I have always been a salad lover, but spring and summer are really when I turn that up. Lately, with a goal to get 800 grams of fruits and veg each day, salads have been coming in clutch to help me achieve that.

I usually have a two heaping large salads each day, though earlier this week I even had one for breakfast!

I’m also bringing back Salad Sundays this weekend. I make an array of salads, whip up something for a protein and we enjoy a little salad buffet. So good and so easy for Sunday dinner.

5 – Summer Self-Care

I loaded the Summer Self-Care Planner to my ipad this week and have been working through the pages. It’s a great way to think through how you want to spend your time this summer and make room for yourself amid all the hustle and bustle.

SALE ALERT! Grab the planner on sale for just a few more days!

NEW on Life as Mom

Have you checked out the most recent posts on Life as Mom?