So far I’ve been good about one of my New Year Intentions to implement the daily delete. I got a new phone a month or two ago and now am using it to take a majority of my pictures, so going back once a day to delete the ones that don’t need to be put into the family album has been a helpful new habit.

On the family album note (here is how I make ours), I just finished our 2019 book, which means I’m still a full year behind. I think I’m subconsciously dragging my feet on creating 2020 because it will be so hard to relive parts of it, but I know I will appreciate having it once it’s done.

Anyway, combing through recent pictures made me smile. Isn’t it funny that our camera rolls can help us focus in on the joys in our lives, whether intentionally or not? Seriously, try it! Scroll through your phone and see if your face doesn’t soften and the corners of your lips turn up within 30 seconds. 

And in that spirit, I wanted to share some of what we’ve been up to lately in picture form. Consider this like Instagram stories, but blog style!

• I’m in love with this Emily G’s Pepper Sauce. Mom and I both grabbed it at Whole Foods on a whim and it’s delicious on any kind of sautéed greens.
• David built us a weight bench! It still needs another plank across the bottom but I think it’s great. Over the past 10 months we’ve put together a pretty fun makeshift gym in our crawlspace.
• This is what school looks like lately. Yes, we have a homeschool room. Yes, then I made another little homeschool area downstairs, and yet still, we usually end up at the kitchen table. Apparently I’m slow to accept this. PS: I finally made them go through their Halloween candy, pull out 5 pieces to keep, and throw the rest away; thus the Willa Wonka moment happening at the table. PSS: Planning in reverse is still working really well for us!
• The sky on an evening walk. I’ve become somewhat obsessed with sunsets and clouds and how they remind of how big the universe is and how small we are and they beauty that surrounds us all in we are willing to go out and see it.

• A poem from a nine year old. This is one of Hailey’s free write poems. I’m not crying, you’re crying. 
• Lake Norman friends; we might have been the last people to do it, but we tried Monsoon Sushi and it was so good! Delicious options at fair prices. Try it!
• Do any long time readers remember when David was big into brewing beer? We discovered some bottles in the crawlspace from probably…9 years ago? Honestly it still tasted decent, just a little flat. …we still didn’t drink the whole thing though 😉
• A southern snow.. evening? They predicted snow for us so the girls went all out putting ice cubes in the toilet, spoons under their pillows, and white crayons in the windowsills. We weren’t aware we were supposed to turn our pajamas inside out too, so we woke up to NO SNOW. However, late in the afternoon some flakes started falling and the girls went nuts. It made for a very cozy evening of hot chocolate and a fire.

• We took a day trip on Saturday to Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina. We walked the Swamp Rabbit Trail for part of the 24,000 mile challenge I took part in. We wandered around the cute little town a bit, too.
• On the way home from Traveler’s Rest we stopped to look at RVs. It felt good to get our dreamer wheels turning again and it was so much fun to watch the girls squeal with excitement as they explored every nook and cranny.
• Sunday runs have become our thing lately. We still are rocking with Madeline Moves through the week, then usually rest on Saturday, and run on Sunday. Anytime I average under a ten minute mile is a win for me!

• I’ve been reminded lately how we don’t give sandwiches enough credit. This ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickle sandwich was downright delicious.
• Outside time! The girls have continued to be obsessed with Barbies. They will play them for literally hours straight, so I’ve had to force outside time. Usually it’s met with a groan, but as soon as they have on their coats and get out there, they love it. Hailey is starting a bracelet business with her friend down the street and Kaitlyn loves her bath bomb kit. For what it’s worth, I do not love it. It’s a giant mess and I was not sad when all the ingredients were finally used up yesterday…
• And lastly, how could I have a lately post without Settlers of Catan? We are all still hooked and play multiple times a week; it’s such a fun time for us! David and I also have been playing multiple games of Monopoly Deal each night after the kids go to bed. You guys were right; it’s such a fun and quick game to play!

What is the most recent picture on your camera roll of? 
Does it make you smile?

Have a great week!