Chase said, “It’s like another winter break!” and the accuracy of that statement was spot-on. We had a lot of lazy mornings, a couple of pajama days and plenty of snow playtime.
The big kids were in heaven but Rhett was NOT a fan. Once the novelty of the snow wore off after the first day of snow fun, he was ready for it to be g-o-n-e. Let’s just say Rhett was pretty psyched to see most of the snow had melted away by yesterday afternoon.
As for today and this weekend, I’m pretty excited about what we have on the agenda. Annemarie is coming to watch Rhett and Ryder this morning while Chase is at school so I can head off to a tile selection meeting for the new house. I’m really hoping going to a tile shop in person will help with my decision fatigue because I am O-V-E-R searching the internet for inspiration photos. There are too many options and my brain is shutting off. At least I know what I love for the bathroom Ryan and I will share! That’s something, right!?
The rest of the weekend is pretty wide open. I have some extended family passing through the area we hope to see on Sunday and I’m sure we’ll fill the rest of our time together with outside time and some of our usual weekend family fun. I hope to see you guys back here on Monday but until then, scroll down for your usual roundup of weekly favorites!
Things I’m Loving
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Love Does for Kids by Bob Goff
I am forever looking for resources that help us talk about God and Jesus with our boys in a way that feels relatable and interesting to them. We have a lot of storybook Bibles and books that focus on telling biblical stories in kid-friendly ways but Love Does for Kids is one of the first books we’ve read that feels different from the usual Christian children’s books out there. It is is filled with short stories that always come back to teaching about the amazing power of God’s love for us. Our boys love this book and while my original goal was to read one short story each day since we got it, we rarely stop at just one because Chase and Ryder always ask for more. Perhaps the best part of this book is the way it has served as a jumping off point for bigger discussions within our family about faith, God, loving others and serving others. I had someone leave me a DM on Instagram saying she bought this for her kids for Valentine’s Day this year and I thought that was such a sweet idea. It’s truly a gem!
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Ryder’s Latest Stitch Fix Delivery
I recently noticed that a lot of Ryder’s hand-me-downs from Chase were looking a little rough. Ryder was repeatedly sporting pants with holes in the knees and some stained tops so I figured his wardrobe could use a few new things. I wasn’t in the mood to spend a lot of time shopping or searching the internet for apparel so I decided to order a Stitch Fix delivery for Ryder. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a Stitch Fix delivery for one of the boys (over a year I think?) this time around I requested play clothes that were comfortable and easy to mix and match. They knocked it out of the park! I was reminded how much I love this service for the boys’ clothes and ended up keeping four things from his delivery — The super-soft T-Rex sweater (his fav), the soft-knit gray joggers, the burgundy hoodie and the cozy henley top.
Just in case you’re unfamiliar with the service, Stitch Fix offers personalized styling and sends clothing/shoes/accessories for women, men and children straight to your door. I’ve been a fan for almost a decade and my affiliate link will get both of us $25 off our next deliveries if you’d like to give it a try!
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The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren does it again! Novels by this two-woman author team have quickly jumped to the top of my must-read list because they’re romantic without feeling cheesy, creative without feeling overdone and lighthearted enough to feel like an escape at the end of a long day. They’ve also somehow managed to write books that are entertaining and interesting even though they’re predictable in the way most romance novels tend to be.
The Soulmate Equation was my latest Christina Lauren read and it was another winner. I loved the geeky premise of this one and thought the concept of genetically matching with your soulmate was really creative and very cool.
The book centers around the unheard of “Diamond Match” connection between River, the introverted and mysterious founder of GeneticAlly, a DNA-based matchmaking company, and freelance statistician Jess, a single mom who has all but sworn off dating. The match is shocking to everyone but no one is more surprised than Jess and River, as their interactions up to this point have been anything but pleasant and very far from romantic.
GeneticAlly has a vested interest in their match taking off and when they offer to pay Jess a monthly stipend to get to know River and do a few press events, Jess is tempted. Having recently lost one of her biggest clients and a third of her annual income the financial stress in Jess’ life is at an all-time high and she begrudgingly accepts the offer. Will Jess realize there is more to River than his stand-offish demeanor and validate their Diamond Match or is their union destined to follow the doomed track it of the pair’s first impressions?
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Hoopla + Hoopla Kids Mode
I’ve been meaning to mention this app for a looong time and for some reason it’s repeatedly slipped my mind when I sit down to type up my TILF posts. You guys know we’re huge fans of our local library and visit it regularly to check out books for our whole family. In case it’s been a while since you’ve visited your local library I wanted to highlight a resource that might not be on your radar but that I think most of you would love: Hoopla!
Hoopla is an app that allows you to use your library card to digitally check out e-books, audiobooks, music, movies, TV shows and more. I especially love the Kids Mode you can turn on so Chase can use it to search for audio books and read-along stories that interest him (hence the Bearded Dragon books you see downloaded above). It’s been a great resource for us especially when I’m searching for some good quiet time activities for the boys! (FYI, our local library has the Love Does for Kids book I mentioned above available on audiobook and e-book!)
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Friday Flashbacks
10 Preschool Lunches (What school lunches look like over here + What they actually eat in them!)
Meal Planning: 5 Meatless Meals (Just in case you need a little plant-based dinner inspiration!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing you’re loving this week?
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I am loving the addition of home renovations to your blog! I know you mentioned you aren’t working with an interior designer. I have also done most of the material sourcing and selections on my own but I did hire someone to give me a few hours to help, basically, vet my decisions and provide some perspective on the body of the work.
She also brought up things to consider that I had not thought of. It might not be worth it- it sounds like you have done so much already!- but it wasn’t an expensive add on. About $50-$75/hour and we ran through the entire house as she was prepared and decisive. So it was all in all a $200 investment at most.
I love to come to this space- your blog is such a happy place!
I don’t know if you’re aware of these apps as well, but Libby and Kanopy are other goods ones that allow you to use your library card to check out resources. Libby is for e-books, audiobooks, and digital magazines, and Kanopy is for movies. Both of those have helped get me through the pandemic.
Also, if you’re looking for some new historical fiction, particularly fictionalized versions of actual people and events, you should check out The Paris Library and The Personal Librarian – both were fantastic and I think you would enjoy both of them.
Have a good weekend!
Too funny that Rhett wasn’t a fan of the snow. The library is an amazing resource for books & media of all formats (physical, audio (CD and digital), ebook, etc)! It must save me thousands of dollars a year 🙂 I checked out a big stack of cookbooks before the holidays and looked through them during quiet times to get inspiration for meals, I ended up making many recipes from Ina Garten’s cookbooks and loved them all!
What Bible version do you read to your kids?
For a Bible/devotional for kids recommendation —
My son LOVED this devotional that ties in a science lesson! https://smile.amazon.com/Indescribable-Devotions-Kids-About-Science-ebook/dp/B07LGHTHYP/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3VY6DPP2VZ5PQ&keywords=lou+giglio+kids+devotional&qid=1642783415&sprefix=lou+gig%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-5
(And, honestly, I found some of the facts really interesting, too. Ha!)
This seems right up their alley — thank you!
Your boys might also like “What Sounds Fun to You?” by Annie F. Downs.
Thanks for this rec!!
Hi Julie, have you used the library app Libby? It sounds similar to Hoopla, but I hate the interface. I’m wondering if Hoopla is more user-friendly!
I have not tried that one but I like Hoopla a lot!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful weekend! Do you remember what brand those dinosaur pajamas were in the stitch fix box?!
Rumi & Ryder!
Thank you!!
Hi Julie – 2 random questions for you!
1) When you get library books for the boys, do you keep them (or at least try to keep them!) in a separate bin or somewhere in the house so they are easier to find when it’s time to return them? I just started getting books for my toddler from the library and wondering how I can prevent searching the house for them when it’s time to return!
2) I’m looking for new barstools for our kitchen and have noticed from past pictures you have backless stools which I’m considering doing – I was just wondering if you were happy with that with the kids and or if you’ve ever thought ones with a back would be better. So random but my daughter is pretty young still so just trying to think down the line if it would be better either way! Thanks 🙂
Hey Julie,
I’m trying to find an old post where you organized your son’s art projects in containers. I’m starting to get lots of crafts for our son and want to do something similar but can’t find that post, can you help?
Dana
I’ve just binge-read a few Christina Lauren books after you suggested them a little while ago. I enjoyed the two you mentioned, and have just finished Roomies which was really sweet ❤️