Farmhouse Update- Week 1

Farmhouse Update- Week 1

April 11, 2019

This may be the most exciting key I’ve ever held in my hand. Possibly more exciting than the key to the first apartment Scott and I lived in.

Since there are so many of you who love hearing about the farm house, I thought I may do a weekly update. Work has started on it, and I’m thrilled. And still nervous. Until we are moved in, I think there will always be some hesitancy that something could fall through.

Currently, this cute little half bath is empty. The floor is ripped up. The farmer discovered that there had been a leak for years that he was unaware of. The floor was badly rotting. He’s going to re-do the plumbing and modernize it because it was pretty old.

He has also started filling in the holes in the walls so that we can start painting. This week has been a busy one away from the farm house. We have a lot of activities going on– along with my work schedule. We only made it over to the house on Sunday. I asked my parents if they wanted to come and see it in person, and it was fun to show them around. My mom is my go-to person when it comes to home. We had such a warm and loving atmosphere in our home growing up, and I want my home to feel the same way.

It was nice to look at it all again and see where we should start first. I also went down in the root cellar. I should have taken my camera, but didn’t. There are three deep and wide shelves full of empty mason jars. It was beautiful. One day, I hope that Scott and I can go over without the kiddos so that we can actually have conversations without being interrupted.

I know that’s not much of an update, but it’s the only one I’ve got. All good things take time.

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Black and White on a Budget

February 6, 2019

I am re-posting this because it didn’t transfer from my old blog!

I love the monochromatic look. I love black and white baby and kid rooms, but they usually are full of completely out-of-my-price-range products. I thought I’d put together a list of really awesome black and white products from Amazon so your nursery can look like this without breaking the bank.

swaddles // crib sheets // changing pad covers // cloud crib sheet // boppy cover // pacifier clips // burp cloths // storage baskets // laundry hamper // humidifier (worth every penny) // sleep sack // crib// swaddle wrap // house tissue box cover // hedgehog night light //

Amazon is my favorite way to shop. I love using Swagbucks to earn Amazon gift cards– which really helps me stay on budget. That is how I was able to buy some new things when I was pregnant with Harper. We all know that babies are expensive, and I hope this helps you find some great baby items on a budget!

All Amazon links are affiliate links. This does not change the cost of your item, but a small portion of your purchase does go to me. Thank you for supporting me as I support my family.

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Merry {day after} Christmas

December 26, 2018

I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas yesterday!
We spent the morning unwrapping presents, building toys, eating our traditional cinnamon rolls, and laying around in pajamas.

We were blessed to have my younger sister in town with her family, so we all planned to get together at my mom and dad’s house for lunch. Unfortunately, my older sister was very sick and her family was unable to come. We missed them a lot, but still had a lot of fun being together.
Scott’s mom and brother came over for dinner, and we had a relaxing evening. The girls were so excited to show their new presents to everyone.
We had a wonderful day, and today the Christmas hangover is real. One of our girls could not stay asleep last night. We are all tired and honestly, grumpy. The coffee mug my mom got me is very fitting today.

In true Ashley fashion, I’m ready to take down all of the decorations and have a clean slate to ring in the new year.
When do you take down your decorations? I’m so curious to know if I’m the only one who enjoys taking them down soon after Christmas.

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The Great Conundrum

November 15, 2018

I am really struggling with a great conundrum. Are you ready for it?
I really want to decorate for Christmas, but it’s not even Thanksgiving yet.
Don’t throw stones at me! I’m not sure what it is this year. I am so ready to put up the tree. However, I am also hosting our families for Thanksgiving. Our tree will go up in our basement, which is away from where everyone will be for our Thanksgiving meal.
That’s acceptable, right?

The kiddos are super excited for Christmas. Addi picked a Christmas movie when we were at the library this week. We have been watching a few Christmas movies here and there. Christmas music has been on since before Halloween.
There is currently 3 or so inches of snow blanketing the outdoors, which only adds to my strong desire to get festive inside. The snow looks so beautiful clinging to the tree branches and rooftops. It’s magical.
Pure magic.
If we find time, I think we will at least get our tree put up. Maybe.
Do you decorate before Thanksgiving, or are you a strictly after person?

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Favorite Amazon Home Purchases

October 9, 2018

I don’t think it’s any secret that I love shopping through Amazon. I can keep track of items that I love and watch for the price to drop. If you haven’t joined my Deals & Steals group on Facebook, you can hop over. I share the good deals that I find each day, or just fun items. I thought it would be fun to round up my favorite purchases from Amazon and share them with you.
I’ll be breaking this up into different parts. Home, kids, baby, food, etc. Like I said, I really love Amazon. And for a family with only one car and a lot going on, I know that many times the two day shipping will get here faster than I can make it to the store.

This post is not sponsored, but the links may be affiliate links. That means that should you purchase something through a link, I would receive a small commission. Your price does not change at all, but it helps me to contribute to our family in a fun way. Thank you for supporting me.

glass foaming soap dispenser – I use this to hold my Thieves foaming hand soap. You can fill it up with any foaming soap. Did you know you save lots of money by purchasing the bigger refill bottles of soap instead of tons of individual soaps? Plus, you are reducing waste so it is a win-win. Plus, the bottle is so pretty and comes in may different colors and finishes.
Crane Drop Humidifier– The BEST humidifier ever. I recommend them to everyone. They come in tons of colors and look really cute sitting out. It is obviously not necessary for your humidifier to be cute, but it is a nice perk when it is out all winter long. It is filterless, so you don’t spend money on replacement filters over and over again! I could write a song about my love for this..
Label Maker– I really love labeling things. Organization makes my heart happy. I bought this 3 1/2 years ago and still love it.
Crock Pot– I love this crock pot. I use it at least once a week– it prevents us from eating out on Sundays. There are so many settings, and I love that you can set it to cook your meat to a certain temperature.
Quilt– This quilt is simple and soft. I keep it at the foot of the bed to give extra warmth on cool nights.
Kitchen Towels– These towels are great if you are looking for something cheap. They are often on sale and less than $1 per towel. When they arrived, they were kind of stiff and not absorbent at all. Once they were washed, they shrunk, softened up and work really well. They are still a good size even after shrinking.
Dishwashing detergent– This detergent works so well and is free of a lot of chemicals and junk that I don’t want on my dishes. This is the only brand I buy anymore.
Manual Sweeper– I love this! It’s so handy for when I don’t want to lug the big vacuum out and just have a small mess to clean up.
Pillow Shams– You can get the best pillow shams from Amazon!! I love shams because they are an affordable way to change up your decor. Just don’t forget to buy some inserts!

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Fall Favorites

August 22, 2018

\\ Hello Pumpkin Mug // blanket scarf // knit throw // slippers // nail polish //

twinkle lights // buffalo check rug // wreath // Pumpkin spice coffee // knit pillow //

socks // pumpkin //

I know, I know. Someone will say it’s too early for fall. Get that negativity out of here. You have to shop in advance, right? Preparedness is key. I love all things cozy in the fall. There are so many warm colors and cozy textures. I just love it all.
Today feels like the perfect day to share these favorites. My windows are open. There is a cool breeze blowing through. My kids are sitting quietly at the table doing school work. I’m drinking a cup of pumpkin spice coffee. Scott brought me a gift for the first day of school… pumpkin spice coffee creamer. He speaks my language and I love him for it.
So, lets dive in. I love twinkle lights. I don’t really burn candles anymore because they are full of toxins. (I saw you roll your eyes.) I miss the cozy light though, so twinkle lights take their place. You can put them just about anywhere to get the cozy light. Wrap them around a wreath. Put them inside of a wicker pumpkin. Put them inside of a pretty glass vase. I also put Thieves oil or any other spice oil (clove, nutmeg, cinnamon) in the diffuser to get that wonderful scent.
Cozy slippers, socks, blankets, and pillows are also key for fall. Big chunky scarfs are a great way to layer some warmth without adding too much. Some people really struggle with blanket scarfs, so any cozy scarf will do. I also really love the buffalo check rug. You can layer your normal welcome mat over the top and it is so pretty. I want one in every room.
I also love a good fall mug and pretty nail polish. I can’t wait to have some real pumpkins decorating our house as well. We try to save those for closer to the actual season of fall though.
What are some of your favorite fall items or activities? Is it too early to even think about fall for you?

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Gardening Gear

April 17, 2018

\\ harvesting basket \\ watering can | tools and bag // boots // hat // kneeler //

\\ gloves | gnome light //

This is the less practical side of gardening. Obviously you need seeds or starter plants, soil, shovels, and other obvious things. I figured I’d put together some of the things that I have purchased, or have on my wishlist, for our garden this year.
The basket is front and center because I am believing that the garden will be successful. I’ll need something to carry the “fruits” of my labor in. I love these fair trade baskets. A hat is a must so that you can protect your face and neck from the sun! Ankle rain boots are great. You can keep your feet dry without your legs sweating to death. A garden gnome is obviously needed; especially when it doubles as a light. haha!!
I am not a gardening pro, so I am certain there are more important things that should go on this list. Let me know what you’d add!!
Happy Spr-inter!

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My Big, Scary Dream

February 19, 2018

While reading Girl Wash Your Face, Rachel challenged everyone to stop reading and write down a big, scary dream. I paused and started thinking. I felt like I should write down what a typical big dream would be. Should I want my blog to make me a six figure income? Should I want to become insta-famous? I know. I want to own a huge house and perfect cars. Those are all normal dreams for people my age, right?
Obviously, I would love for this blog to make an income. But, I don’t care about a six figure income.. I just want to contribute to my family while homeschooling. So, I started thinking about what my dream really is.
Then, it smacked me in the face.
I want to own a homestead. Not your typical dream life in 2018, but it is mine. It’s been mine for a while.
This is something that I’ve been studying about for quite some time. I have read books and pinned all of the pins on pinterest. I have subscribed to Youtube channels. I’ve been soaking in all of the knowledge that I can in my “free” time.
Will this big dream come true? I don’t know. Scott and I are on the same page that we would love to make it happen one day down the road. We would both love for our girls to grow up knowing the value of hard work. We’d love to go pick food for our dinner. Our real dream with a homestead is to be able to live a sustainable life where we don’t rely on a store nearly as much. We would know how our food is grown.
My parents owned 30 acres of land in Illinois for several years. When we first visited after they bought it, I thought “what on earth where they thinking?” Everything was so overgrown. The grass and weeds were up to my knees everywhere we went. But, I watched as it slowly became a beautiful piece of land. Just mowing the grass instantly transformed it. It was so beautiful that Scott and I ended up getting married there. It was peaceful out there. My mom and dad worked their rear ends off every weekend. It was really incredible to witness this overgrown place get transformed into a beautiful retreat. My mom had a garden. I loved it. Maybe that is where the little seed of my dream was planted.

The definition of a homestead in the community is always different. Some say that you are only a homesteader if you live on land that you farm and are completely self sufficient. Others say that as long as you are making an EFFORT to be sustainable and live off of what you can grow or make, then you are a homemaker. I don’t know which is right.
What I do know is that we are going to plant a garden this year. We have a good sized yard, and are going to plant herbs, fruits, and vegetables that we frequently use. When I did container gardening last year, it was pretty successful. The herbs grew like crazy. I couldn’t use them fast enough, it seemed. Our plants moved with us from Oklahoma to Illinois. I think the move was a little hard on them, because they stopped growing as well. Maybe the shift in climate wasn’t good for them. Either way, I learned that my thumb is not completely black. I ordered some seeds from Seed Savers Exchange. This is why I chose them. There are more plants I hope to grow, so I’ll be checking out some of the other seed brands that Shaye Elliott recommended.
I am going to continue learning. I’m going to work with what I have, and “homestead” the best I can in suburbia.
I’ll continue making fresh bread from scratch. I’ll continue working on perfecting my sewing.. or at least making it acceptable. HAHA! I learned to crochet a few years ago and have been working on an infinity scarf. I want to learn the crafts that were just common knowledge in the past. Hopefully our garden will grow.
Our lives are so up the air. We are unsettled. We know that where we are is not where we will stay. Ministry has absolutely not been pulled off the table. This dream could be something silly on my heart that will never come to fruition. But, it is a dream that could easily go hand-in-hand with ministry one day.
Thanks for letting me share this dream of mine. I think we don’t always allow ourselves to have dreams.. though this really feels like a GOAL of ours more than a dream.

I’ll share some resources below and try to remember to update this list as I find more.
Books:
The Elliott Homestead   (this is my favorite book so far. She had a dream like me, and it has come true.)
The Backyard Homestead
The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner

Youtube Channels and Videos:
The Elliott Homestead Youtube channel
WildRoots Homestead Youtube Channel   (They have a vegan homestead!)
Time-lapse of building a homestead!   Super cool!

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Favorite Things- Earth Day Edition

April 22, 2016

Happy Fri-YAY! Usually, Fridays are extra thrilling around here, because it is actually the start of our weekend. Scott typically has Friday off, which is his only FULL day off. He had to take Monday off for Harper’s eye appointment, so he is working today. Sad. Really sad, because I am T-I-R-E-D. But, I am so thankful for the flexibility of his work schedule (especially because the girls were CRAZY on Monday at the eye doctor).

So, here are some awesome products and links to check out on this earth day!
If you have kids, you are probably overwhelmed with snack cups, sippy cups, plates, and on and on. Have you seen the brand Re-Play yet? They have EVERYTHING. It is all made from recycled milk jugs, AND is BPA, Phthalate, PVC and Melamine FREE!!!! How awesome is that?! We have to pack dinner every Wednesday for the girls to eat at church. I am really thinking about this three pack snack stack.
Also for kids, I really Green Toys. They are also made from recycled milk jugs!! I really want to get this big pink dump truck for the girls to play with! They love cars, but we don’t really have any big ones.
I have become really interested in composting. I know that growing your own food is best, but if your soil is completely deprived of any nutrients, so will your food. I like how this chart breaks it down. However, if a cockroach comes crawling out of my compost pile one day, I’m out. (Kidding.. I think.)
I don’t wear a lot of makeup. In fact, I usually only wear makeup on Sundays. I love EcoTools line. I have their makeup brushes and LOVE them. They are so soft. Plus, I love the look of bamboo. Bamboo grows very quickly, so it’s a much more sustainable wood than other types.

I really love Grove Co. Above is my most recent order. Their products are amazing, and by shopping through them, you are helping save the planet!! Here is my referral link that you can use to get $10 off your first purchase. You aren’t obligated to buy something every month, and you can buy as little or as much, as you’d like. I love the Full Circle brand of cleaning tools! (Can you tell I am trying to pick which toothpaste I like?)
This book looks adorable to teach kids about recycling. There are actually a lot of cute books.
How are you “celebrating” Earth Day? I think it’s important to teach your kids about recycling and the importance of taking care of this beautiful planet that God created for us.

**All Amazon links are affiliate links. You can see my disclosure statement in my “referral links” tab.**

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Small Space Organization

April 12, 2016
Organization has always been important to me. Now that I have three children, and the five of us live in a small space, it is even more important. Here are some tips that have helped me.
1. Clean Out It is time to evaluate what you really NEED. Anything that you haven’t used in the last year- get rid of it. Those jeans that haven’t fit you since high school? Buh-bye. I know that sometimes it’s nice to hang on to smaller clothes in the hopes that you will get to wear them again. I have found that seeing those types of clothes causes me to get really down on myself. Get rid of them!! Don’t get caught in that trap. The one thing that I refuse to get rid of is clothes for the girls. I have SO many different sizes boxed up right now, but it is worth the lost closet space to save that money.
2. Baskets Kids= little stuff. Little stuff makes me crazy when it is scattered all around the floor. I have baskets for EVERYTHING. Probably too many. I love baskets that fit on the cube shelves, or in our TV stand (which is a neat bookshelf from Ikea turned on it’s side). I have baskets for all of our toothpaste, deodorant, hair stuff, etc. in the bathroom. They are just so handy. We have baskets to hold chips, snacks, etc. since we don’t have much cabinet space. Plus, when you have specific places for things to go, clean up is a breeze.
3. Simplify This goes back to cleaning out, I guess. Before we moved, we got rid of A LOT. I had two garage sales and donated a ton more. However, once we got settled in the apartment, I realized that the girls were STILL overwhelmed with toys. They would play with something and move on to something else without putting anything away. I think they just didn’t even know what to do with it all. I know that everyone means well buying toys for their grandchildren, etc. Their room was such a disaster, and they refused to clean. I ended up bagging up and taking away EVERY toy. Literally. They had to earn them back through obedience. Now, they have just their favorite things (legos, train tracks, blocks) and things go so much better. I love how much lighter I feel (and they feel) without all of the STUFF around.
4. Under-the-bed Take advantage of the nooks and crannys that you have. We used to store our suitcases in our basement. Now, they are tucked underneath beds. There is a dress-up clothes box that fits under the bed. Our electric griddle is under the bed. Since our closets don’t store as much, we have just had to get creative. Sometimes these spaces slip our mind. Flat things can even be stored behind the couch or headboards (kids pop-up-tents, home school posters, etc.).
5. Compromise Ultimately, I would rather not have my desk crammed up against the side of my bed. Would I rather deal with that, or have the girls messing with my pens, post-its, and tape in the living room? Sometimes you have to compromise and do what works best over what you really want. I would rather not have our homeschooling materials in the kitchen (in baskets), but we don’t have a good place for it anywhere else. Do what WORKS.
6. Command Hooks hang up coats, pot holders, purses, etc. so that they don’t take up as much space in the closet or on shelves. I am a huge fan of these hooks because they don’t damage your walls and come in several styles, colors, and weight limits! Winning!
The media baskets on the left hold most of our movies. We don’t have cable, so we have a lot of kids’ shows and movies on DVD that we have collected over the last 6 years. The baskets on the right hold bathroom supplies. We have three of those small baskets, and the large one holds my hair drier (obviously), straightener, curling wand, and other hair things. I got them on clearance (like $5 a piece) with free shipping, so I was pretty excited!!!

What are your organization tips?
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