It’s been a minute since we last posted on a regular schedule. We have had quite a year dealing with Covid ramifications so we took a break from regular posting to lighten the load a bit.
And that break was just what we needed. We were able to take blogging off the plate and spend some much needed energy on one another.
Oldest daughter is busy with school but is having a good year, despite the strangeness of starting the school year online. She’s growing up so fast and she is beautiful. Little daughter is adorable and keeps us on our toes.She is full of sweetness and sass.
We also have recently decorated for fall.
My kiddos helped me and we had a blast.
The Lumber fam kitties are doing well, too.
Gray says this the UPS man sure was nice to give him this box to sit on. Daisy thinks her daddy’s uniform shirt is a perfect blanket .
Covid still has our lives basically shut down. No dance, no school and no church. So in the meantime, we try to fill our time having fun together, learning together and doing things around the house.
Recently we completed two small outdoor projects, which we will share with you soon.
But until then, have a blessed weekend! See you soon.
Nine years ago today, our oldest daughter Emorie blew into the world. We were told only one year earlier we’d never have children without fertility intervention. We said we’d go home and think about it. Two months later, we found out she was on the way. She was born three weeks early and was the tiniest, pinkest infant Id ever seen in my life. We were instantly in love.
Photo credit: Portrait Innovations
Her personality grew right along with her and she gained a fan club everywhere we went.
She was snuggly, sweet and had her daddy wrapped around her finger. Still does, in fact. Photo credit: Portrait Innovations
Even as a toddler, she was known for her sunny personality and soft spot for others.
She is smart, talented, kind hearted and loving. She is empathetic toward others and wants to be an oncology nurse someday.
She doesn’t like to admit it, but she loves her little sister and tries to take care of her.
She is happiest when she is dancing and she works hard each day to become better at her dancing.
She is growing up so fast and will be a fourth grader this fall. We have realized we only have nine more years left before she goes to college. Time truly does fly when you’re having fun.
Happy birthday, Sunshine. You are loved beyond measure.
As you know, I am predominantly a DIY blogger but one portion of my blog pertains to parenting. Like many of you, we are navigating our new normal as homeschool parents who work from home and self quarantine to safe guard our families against getting sick with covid-19.
Being quarantined doesn’t mean you must stay indoors.
While we have mine and the girls’ school work to occupy a lot of time, and we can go outside to occupy a bit more time, sometimes we still find ourselves a little bored and lonely. Thankfully, there are plenty of fun and useful ways to bond as a family , and to teach your kiddos a little something in the process.
1. Cooking
Get yourself some cute kitchen helpers.
Everyone needs to eat, and once you’re tired of all the takeout options, you might as well cook at home. I’m kidding, sort of. In all seriousness, cooking is hands on, a cross curricular activity and something your kids will need to know as adults. You don’t have to make a full meal, you could even make something as simple as a tray of cookies. My child hates math but she loves cooking. She doesn’t realize we are practicing math skills when we cook. She just thinks it’s grown up to help mom with dinner.
2. Take a nature walk
Nature’s playground
Recess at school serves the same purpose as recess when you’re schooling at home. Fresh air and activity give the brain a refresh. You can make a science lesson out of it and go on a nature walk. You can go on a nature scavenger hunt and find rocks, acorns or flowers. Or, you can go outside and simply enjoy the great outdoors.
3. Roast some marshmallows
This one requires lots and lots of supervision. Reward your kiddos for their hard work by allowing them to make a few s’mores. Even if you only make one s’more, they will love it!
4. Paint a picture or make a craft
Make a cute little footbird
We made a bird painting from a little paint and our kids’ feet and they turned out so cute. You can also just hand your kiddos some paper and colored pencils and let them take the reigns- creativity at its finest!
What sort of “sanity saving learning activities are you all using?
Hello, all! We are gearing up for a tremendously busy but tremendously great spring season. I cannot wait to share the wonder we have in store for you all, but I first wanted to catch up a bit. If you follow me on Instagram, some of this will not be new to you. And if you don’t follow me on Insta, you definitely should!
Someone has been bad and needs to go to the Principal’s office!!
Ok, not really! But we did surprise these two with a trip to West Jefferson, Valle Crucis and Boone two weekends ago. They loved it and so did we. We even stopped by my grandma’s house and got to visit with my grandma, aunt and uncle, and cousins on our way home.
We finally got some snow!!
Not long after we came home from the mountains, it started snowing! It didn’t snow a lot but we were out of school two days and the kids enjoyed playing in it.
Cutie sisters
These two stinkers actually got along for a few days and I have pictures to prove it!!
Rehearsal
This one is gearing up for her next competition and has been practicing like crazy! Wish her well because those nerves are really starting to set in.
Selfie queen
This one commandeered my phone and took hundreds of selfies- I made a collage of her best ones…and laughed at how much her “selfie game” has improved.
It’s clean!!
And we have started cleaning out our playroom, since we are about to repurpose this room. Spoiler alert: it’s going to be used for something else, and no, it’s not a nursery for a new baby. Just in case anyone gets confused.
Join us this week for our spring home tour, some beautiful spring quotes and a round up of my favorite spring decor at local retailers. Have a wonderful week!
Every year we struggle with what to get our children that doesn’t involve candy or sugar. While material objects are nice, we try these days to limit the stuff we buy and just spend money on things we can experience as a family.
Nevertheless, we still find some small Valentines goodies to get for our girlies. When you want to buy a small gift to go along with those experiences, here are a few ideas.
These pretty heart printed jammies are less than $20 per pair. Maybe you and your family can book a special trip and all wear these matching jammies…or just wear the jammies and watch a movie together.
I am a huge fan of giving sentimental gifts that people can keep for years to come. I love this dainty little necklace- It would be cute for mothers and daughters to have matching necklaces like this one.
This pretty and extremely safe nail polish is available on Amazon for less than $12. If your little lady loves having her nails painted, then this is perfect for her.
I hope you have enjoyed this list of Valentine gift ideas for your little girl! Have a wonderful week!
