There are so many little things here and there that I miss out on sharing in between blog posts, so I thought I’d put together a round-up of sorts. This way, I feel like I’m keeping you up-to-date on all the things I wish I did a better job of sharing with you or that I think might be amusing to you on a Friday afternoon. Maybe it will become a semi-regular series? Here are five random things that are happening in our lives. 🙂
- We made some more progress on the fireplace! Definitely not as much as I’d like us to have made, but some. Which is better than none. The main fireplace surround area is trimmed out and fully painted, and the top part around the TV is trimmed out. I’m promising myself I’ll finish the remaining painting this weekend in between all the Halloween crafts and movies that I’ve also been wanting to do with the kids. 🙂
- We booked a yurt for a few days in December. We all fell in love with yurting a few years ago when we first went over March break, and now we’ve made it a yearly tradition. It’s like camping, but with bunk beds and heat and electricity, so it’s a great way to get out into the park during the “off months” for camping without freezing in a tent the whole time. The idea of yurting in December is especially appealing because it will allow us to escape the hustle and bustle right before Christmas and spend some quality quiet family time in nature, away from all the stress and pressure. We usually spend that part of the season hiding out in our house or running errands in stores and the idea of being out surrounded by nature at that time of year makes me feel like I’m going to get really get to experience the season in an “up close and personal” kind of way. I’m so excited for it. You can read more about our past yurting adventures here: Yurting.
- This is ridiculous, but I bought myself both a Bean Boot keychain and mask when I placed an order for new winter boots and coats for the kids. Anything that brings a little moment of joy is a good thing in my books and anything LL Bean always brings joy for me. I just love their wholesome, outdoorsy, fresh-air vibe and I always have. For the record, the tiny boot is an exact replica of the real thing and it’s pretty impressive, even if it does indicate that my superfandom has reached an entirely new level.
- I have a kid who likes reading! Both of our kids have huge built-in bookshelves in their rooms that I insisted were necessary for Chris to painstakingly build and, ironically, neither of our kids has been really that into reading. I mean, they can read, but they haven’t been excited about it. Something has clicked for Jack in the last few weeks and he’s suddenly really into reading, and even requesting that I order certain books in some of the series he likes. I’m soaking it in. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves has been a big hit, as well at the Fly Guy series.
- I’ve discovered the Sinatra station on XM and I can’t go back. I don’t know why, but that type of music just brings me instant joy. It just sounds so festive and relaxing at the same time. The kids think it sounds like Christmas music, which they aren’t totally against. More about that channel here: Siriously Sinatra.
And now you’re a little more caught up on what’s going on in our world!
OTHER RECENT POSTS
- Five Semi-Sneaky Secrets of People Who Are Really Good at Christmas
- Our IKEA Farmhouse Sink – 5 Years Later
- Plant-Based Pumpkin Pie
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Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.