Ten Years is a Good Run

On July 26th, this blog turned ten years old.  No fanfare, no party, but it still felt like a big moment.  Despite the fact that I haven't posted here for over three years, this milestone prompted me to think again about the blog and what its meant over the years.  It began with the simple idea that connecting to other ladies through our shared experiences of parenting, crafting, and decorating would help restore my sense of identity in the stay-at-home mommy world I was in.  As I said at the time, the blog was a way to "reclaim my brain."  And--hallelujah--that brain is (mostly) back!

This blog was a blessing.  It connected me to you; it inspired me to seek beauty; it gave me an outlet; it improved my writing.  But (obviously) I haven't been active here for quite some time, and that's because God has called me forward into new adventures.  I haven't needed online connection because I have had so much in-person connection.  I haven't needed to write here, because my real-life ministry work has been the outlet for study and writing that I so desperately needed.  God is good.  He has used this blog as a beautiful thread as He weaves my story together. For that I'm grateful.  

That said, its time to officially sign off as That Mommy, if only to get some closure for myself.  Not ready to say goodbye?  You can see my most visited posts over there in the sidebar, most of which have to do with kids' parties or Lego.  I have also kept the "search" function and a list of categories for those who wish to browse.  Thanks for reading, my loves!  It's been a good run.

--Michelle

Only Jesus Could Do This

(This is a re-post from a prior year.  Happy Easter!)

Hallelujah!  He is risen!  

I make a lot of fuss about Christmas, but Easter has the most tender place in my heart, because today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Only Jesus, being the son of God, could bear the weight of the world's sins.

Only Jesus, being both man and God, could both die and conquer death.

Only Jesus, the sacrificial lamb, could reconcile us forever with a God who is both just and merciful:

He took on our sins to satisfy God's perfect justice.  

He rose again to embody God's perfect mercy.

That mercy is God's amazing gift to each of us.  Today: make it your own.  Remember, celebrate, and thank Him.  He is risen indeed!

Early Spring in the Garden

This time of year makes it impossible for me to put my camera away!  I'm filling up all my storage with spring-time-everything, so I thought I had better share a little: 

Pink Dogwood

Hosta

Muscadine Grape

Fern

I loved finding these in the wreath on my front door (!)...

and a few days later!

They are just about to take flight as I write this and I will miss checking on them every day.

White Azalea

Chives

Phlox (on its way out), Clematis (on its way in) and Angus (on his hind legs).

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful time of the year, too!

Falling (Back) in Love with Legos and a Lego Storage Round-Up!

No doubt about it, my most popular post of all time is my Lego Storage and Play Table, an Ikea hack I did more than three years ago:

I think this project has struck a chord with people because it encourages creativity in children but protects mom's sanity.  My table is easy to build, adjustable in height, and provides ample storage.  However, it has been three years so Legos have now taken over the train table, among other surfaces! And as a result I was starting to fall out of love--just a little bit!--with Legos.

However, I was reminded of the benefits of Legos the other day through the website Brick Dave, a blog dedicated completely to Lego.

It's so true: playing with Legos has created so many opportunities for creativity, persistence and patience for my boys.  What I find especially interesting is how their personalities shine through in the ways they play: Biggest Boy methodically follows all instructions, enjoying the process of building; Littlest prefers to get wacky and build his own amazing creations.  Either way, I love to see them playing with Legos.

So I've rounded up a few storage options for Legos (as well as renewed energy for tackling the mess once again)!  We love our Lego Head Storage (affiliate link), but I really need options for storing those partly-built and oddly-shaped creations.

How cute are these DIY buckets from Chubby Bunny?  I love these because they would fit partially assembled sets along with their accompanying loose pieces:

I'd love to be handy enough to build these under-bed storage trays from the happy housie:

Another great solution for sets that might be partly disassembled (you know, because someone's football or entire body landed on them)...huge fabric bins!  This tutorial by The Scrap Shoppe has me convinced I can make some:

Of course the sky's the limit when it comes to how to organize Legos!  You can see more ideas on my Lego Pinterest Board.

Or share with us here...what methods have worked for you?  Do tell!

Get Inspired for Winter Decorating (with sources to help!)

This post contains affiliate links but all opinions are always 100% mine!

January is maybe my favorite month for decorating my home.  I just adore taking down the Christmas decorations and paring down to a simpler, cleaner look.  Plus I love decorating with cozy in mind, and by the growing popularity of hygge here in the States, so do most of us!

So I thought today I would share why I love winter decorating and how I accomplish it easily.  (Well, fairly easily once all those Christmas boxes are stashed away).

1. Clean + Simple

This is major.  After the influx of stuff that Christmas invariably causes, I really need at least some of the spaces in my home to be clutter-free.  For me, that usually starts with the kitchen because it is where I spend a lot of time.

Ooh!  Update alert!  Right before Christmas we installed the CB2 Firefly Pendant Light above the island...more on this soon!

For now, partly-built Lego sets litter the dining room table, but (deep breath) that's okay because in the kitchen I am trying to be intentional about picking up the piles and keeping the table and counters clear.  That said, I have also brought flowers back to my kitchen table, but only in white and green.

 

Simple, wintry, pretty.

2. Falling Slowly

As I mentioned, I love getting those Christmas boxes back in the attic.  However, over the years I have also introduced more Christmas decor that can also be used all winter long.  My mantel is the best example of this--the only change I made is removing Rudy's red nose!

I still have my starry string lights burning each evening and it feels perfectly appropriate on dark and cold January nights.

I also have left evergreen accents up on the coffee-table tray and in the powder room, where they accompany my seasonless cotton stems and can just be removed come spring.

3. Two Words: Candles and Fur (or, Faux Fur)

For me, candles are essential for preventing a serious case of Seasonal Affective Disorder.  We burn fires occasionally but candles every day.  Notice that little jar candle from Grove in the powder room?

I'm in love with it; the Fir, Cedar + Spice scent is heavenly and it's perfectly sized for a small room.

I also keep candles burning on the coffee table and accent table in the living room.  The coffee table tray is exactly as it has been since December 1st (see above: Falling Slowly).

Finally, layers of textiles including throw blankets.  I'm telling you, my faux fur throw blanket is my best friend in winter.  Perfect for draping over a couch or cozy sectional like these from Arhaus (I'm in love with the leather one!  What do y'all think of it for my living room?)

Note the velour blanket protecting my couch cushions, because:

Stinker.

I told Hubs the other day that the only sad thing about my fur blanket is that I can't take it everywhere. Every winter activity, from movie night to reading a book, is better with a faux fur throw.  I got mine years ago but you can find a similar one here or here.  In fact, I'm currently coveting this one from Arhaus like crazy:

And faux fur is great on pillows too!  Believe it or not, I got that little white one at the Target dollar spot in December, but there are tons of different styles available out there.  I'm again loving the luxurious ones at Arhaus (on sale right now, too!) or for the budget-minded you can go here.

That's it: three simple steps to cozy, wintry decorating.  What are your best tips for winter decorating? I'd love to hear them!

My Christmas Hope for You

Hi there, long lost friend.

Oh wait, it's me that's been lost.

Not lost, really...just living life offline.  But you gotta know, I still love ya.

I love each and every one of my readers and miss you when I am gone.  So I wanted to pop in to wish you--yes, you--a very Merry Christmas.  I hope it's absolutely perfect.

I hope your days are merry and bright.

I hope you're surrounded by the people, animals, and things that warm your heart.

I hope you enjoy good food without worrying too much about your waistline, and if you insist on eating kale instead of cookies, I hope you enjoy it!

I hope most of all that you will embrace the beauty of the season.  A beauty not made out of ribbons and bows, or sugar and spice, or even those sweet babies' eyes when they see what Santa brought.

I hope you will embrace the beauty of a God who loves you so deeply, so profoundly and so thoroughly that He became like you in order to reach you.

Divine Creator, come to Earth as a baby.  Because Lord knows we can't reach high enough to get to Him.  We can't be good enough, do enough great things, or love people well enough.  Left on our own, we can't reach Him.

But He can reach us.  And He did.

He made a way.

That way is Jesus.  A savior who reconciles divine holiness with human mess.

My Christmas hope for you is that you experience His unbridled love for you today.

Because I love you, dear reader, but He loves you so much more.

Blessings!

Encouragement for the Worn-Out Mommas

It blows my mind to tell people my babies are nine and seven years old.  Back when they were infants I would meet people with fourth-graders and think, “I’m glad that’s so far away, I am SO not ready for that!”  Of course, I wasn’t ready then.  But as time has raced on God has made me prepared.  Parenting has taught me that—believe it or not--you’ll be ready when the time comes!  Even though I’m in a completely different stage of parenting, I often think about those hard early days.  The days when I had multiple babies in diapers and the “body spills” were plentiful.  The days when my back and wrists and hips were all strained with the constant lifting of quickly-growing bodies.  The days when sleeping well was an unattainable dream, and even my dreams featured little cries of “mommy!” that would wake me up in the night.  Those days, momma, are hard.

Why then do older moms so frequently counsel you young mommas to appreciate each moment, to not wish it away, and to watch out or it’ll just fly by?  I guess all those nuggets of wisdom are true.  It does go fast (even faster when you’re looking back at it!) and taking a moment to appreciate it may indeed be helpful.

I want to give you young mommas in the trenches a slightly different word on this.  This season of young children is a precious time, but it is also a difficult, back-breaking, exhausting time.  I am sorry that it has to be so hard for you.  I remember, and I feel your pain.  But the encouragement is this: it is so, so worth it. 

Everything you are doing now: all the bottoms cleaned, all the feedings, all the re-reading the same board book; all the lifting into shopping carts and breaking elbows with heavy car seats, all the sobbing and tantrums and sleep-training: it is all worth it.  Because every single act of love that you pour into them now is building the foundation for who those little people will become. 

You’re in the business of making people.  It’s the hardest and most important work of your life.

Yes, I do miss what my kids were like as babies.  I miss their fat little rolls and baby giggles and the sweet snuggles.  I miss their innocence and even the silliest of the tantrums.  But I also love the people my children are becoming.  I love that they can brush their own teeth and clean their own rooms (thought usually not without a fight).  I love that they are sensitive to the needs of others, full of imagination and creativity and intellect and love.  These are things you don’t see in your babies, but you are nurturing all these things even in the youngest children.

And, after all, it is a season.  However impossible it seems now, you will look up one day and realize with amazement that you have a fourth-grader.  You’ve moved through those trying, early years and you are seeing ever more clearly why you persevered.  So keep your chin up, Momma!  I’ll see you on the other side.  We can get together and tell all the young moms just how fast it goes.