Living Like It's Spring

It’s March! Flipping over the calendar to this month feels like a milestone. We’ve made it through the bulk of winter, and signs of spring will (hopefully) be showing soon. But, even as I flipped over my calendar to the new month, I felt twinge of sadness looking outside at the snow-covered trees and snow-lined streets. Spring still feels very far away. In fact, looking at the conditions outside, spring almost feels impossible.

I decided that even though it’s still winter outside, in my climate-controlled house, I’m going to start living like it’s spring (we won’t be running around outside without jackets anytime soon!).  That means, I’ve banished all snowman and snow-themed decorations until next year; I put my flower sheets on the bed (sorry, husband); and I’m warming “bright” floral, coconut and sugary scents in my Scentsy warmer.

As I was going about it, I started pondering about the idea of “even though it’s still winter, I’m going to live like it’s spring.” I felt God tap me on the shoulder and “a-hem” me. *Light bulb going off moment* There is a bigger application here than just switching my home décor!

Certainly, there are different seasons of life, but how many times have I sat sulking in my winter season when I could have started living like it was spring? The quick answer is, more times than I care to think about. In challenging life situations; in difficult relationships; during health issues; through deployments; any time things have gotten dark and gloomy; I’ve willingly stayed in my winter mindset when I could have chosen to live like it was spring. The times when I could have been quicker to forgive, or been more thankful, to bring warmth to my coldness.

Then, I thought about the people I know who are going through their own winter season, of cold hearts and bleak attitudes, in their marriage or with family members. How can we live like it’s spring in a wintery relationship?  I immediately thought of a quote from C.S. Lewis, “ Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbour; act as if you did. As soon as you do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.” Maybe that means a long overdue phone call, a kind note, or an overall attitude adjustment toward that person?

Or there might not be strained relationship, but another full basket of laundry and a sink of dirty dishes is enough to bring on blizzard-like conditions to our spirits.  I know some days I feel like life is one big snowball, and I’m at the bottom of the hill it’s rolling down. How can we push through to find spring? I think it comes down to thankfulness. Trying to find a way to be thankful. A sink-load of dishes reminds me that we have food to eat, and a full laundry basket reminds me we have clothes to keep us warm. I’m also reminded that this particular season of life will pass, as all seasons do, and at some point there won’t be as many dishes or clothes to wash.

As I write this, we’re expecting another several inches of snow within the next 24-hours. It might be snowing now, but I know soon enough that I will see the buds of spring blooming. I know that without question, and knowing it gives me the strength to face one more (hopefully!) snowfall. In the same way, I know without question, God will also bring me through all of life’s wintery situations to a flourishing springtime. How I choose to look at the snow today depends on my faith, hope and confidence.

A California Girl's Thoughts on Winter... and What's Saving My Life Right Now

I used to think that winter was a cold spell in January. No worries, February is just around the corner, I used to think. And by April, life was all flowers, sunshine and bunnies.

Then we moved to Northern Virginia.

Oh, hi there wintertime. What’s that you say? You start in November and last until April? Really?

Hey, in my defense, I grew up in Southern California and have only lived in the southern half of the United States. I thought what I had was the norm. I had heard stories about snow but I thought people were talking about Canada. So, basically I was completely naïve.

We arrived in our new state (and new biome) right at the beginning of winter. Sadly, there was no easing into winter last year. It was bitterly cold, dark and snowy. For weeks. I know it was bad because even the locals were complaining about it. It seems a lot of people have trouble coping with winter.

I think reality set in for me last February when I was talking to one of my local friends and was like, “Wow! Isn’t it crazy that we’re getting snow in February?!”

And she responded, “We always get snow in February and usually March, too.”

I casually responded, “Oh, ok. Good to know.” But inside my heart was breaking.

Anyway, I was beyond joyous to see springtime come. I was so thrilled that I wanted to kiss every tulip bulb. We had survived! Thank you, Lord!

I didn’t think about winter again until early November when the first snowflake showed up on my 10-day forecast.

Gulp.

It was back.

But – hooray! – I had learned a few lessons and was going to fight back against the wintertime blues this time around. (To be fair, this winter has been much milder than last winter. Still, all winter wartime tactics are being used.)

Here is a list of what is saving my life right now, right here, right in the middle of winter. 

1)    I’m using my “Happy” light every morning. I heard about this light therapy stuff late last winter, when someone posted that this light was on sale on Amazon and how much it had helped them. Then I read the reviews and I was convinced enough to buy it and give it a try. I only partly believed it would help, but the first few times I tried it, I realized that it DID really help me get moving in the morning. So, this winter, I pulled it out at the first sign of snow, and I have been sitting in front of it every morning since. 

2)    Along with my light therapy, I’m setting aside time to read my Bible every morning. It’s me, my “sunshine”, my cup of coffee, and my Bible. No pets, husband or kids. I’ve never been able to carve a few minutes for myself in the morning and I’ve always wanted to do it. I’m realizing the trick is to lock yourself away in your room and ignore everyone. It’s the only way I can do it. Having a “buffer zone” before dealing with the crazies and craziness of the day has been a game changer for me. I highly recommend it!

3)    Taking extra Vitamin D and exercising regularly. It’s so cold and dark that most days I don’t want to move my body away from the fireplace. I have to fight the urgings of the fireplace, though, because even if I squeeze in only two workouts a week, it makes a big difference in my mood, stress levels and lessens my backaches. As for the Vitamin D, taking it also has a significant effect on my energy levels. If I haven’t taken it in a few days, and then I take it, I notice a big jump in my energy the following days. It has happened enough times to not be a coincidence.  

4)    Trader Joe’s Very Green 100% Juice Smoothie. I love salads nine months out of the year but during the cold months give me my comfort foods. I know I’m not getting enough fruits and vegetables, at least, not as much as I would be getting during the summer months. To compensate, I have a glass of this juice with my lunch almost every day. It looks kind of gross but tastes surprisingly good. And the ingredient list is impressive. In addition to the usual juice smoothie ingredients, it also has a dried greens blend of broccoli, spinach and barley greens, ginger, parsley and garlic.

5)    Good Books. It’s a little bit of heaven to curl up on the couch with a good book in a cozy room, preferably with a fireplace, as the snow is falling outside. Plus, reading is the (my) perfect way to fill the gap in time when some activity has been cancelled because of the weather. I love the ideas on this winter reading list.

6)    Tea in the afternoon.  The kids and I enjoy Harney & Sons Decaf Vanilla Tea. I've started buying it in bulk on Amazon because we drink so much of it.

I’m linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to find out what's saving other people this winter. Since I’m new to this whole winter thing, I need all the help that I can get!

Mother Daughter Book Review

I have a guest blogger today -- my daughter!! 

I don't make the kids write out a book report after they finish reading a book. I don't need to! My daughter loves to talk about books as much as I do and we usually hear all about the book from her while she's reading it. This week, though, I asked her to write a review about the best book she's read for school so far this year. I told her I'd post her review on my blog when she wrote it. She liked that idea. 

Here is her pick and review...

This year l read a great story called Caddie Woodlawn, written by Carol Ryrie Brink. It takes place in Wisconsin during 1864.  I liked the story because Caddie was a tomboy and she went on many adventures with her brothers. Caddie has a problem. She loves to go outside and does not want to be ladylike. Caddie would rather hunt than sit inside and sew. One of my favorite parts of the story is that Caddie helps her Indian friends, when her neighbors plan an attack on them. l think that it was really brave of Caddie to do that. I would give it five stars and think everyone should take time to enjoy it.

Of all the books we've read this school year as a family, it might be my favorite book too. Here is my review...

This is such a sweet and entertaining story filled with fun stories and golden nuggets of inspiration (for all ages!). Caddie is somewhat of a tomboy and is discontented with the idea of having to become a "lady" but through the story (about one year) she finds her place in the world. Addressing that issue, her father says this:

“It's a strange thing, but somehow we expect more of girls than of boys. It is the sisters and wives and mothers, you know, Caddie, who keep the world sweet and beautiful. What a rough world it would be if there were only men and boys in it, doing things in their rough way! A woman's task is to teach them gentleness and courtesy and love and kindness. It's a big task, too, Caddie--harder than cutting trees or building mills or damming rivers. It takes nerve and courage and patience, but good women have those things. They have them just as much as the men who build bridges and carve roads through the wilderness. A woman's work is something fine and noble to grow up to, and it is just as important as a man's.”
 

Both my daughter and son loved it and were cheering for Caddie several times.

What books have you enjoyed reading recently? 

My Favorite Books of 2014*

 

I made a resolution last January to read more. And I did! I kept my resolution and read double the amount of books that I’d normally read in one year. Being in two book clubs, listening to audiobooks in the car and reading aloud to the kids helped me with my goal. I also spent 3-4 nights a week reading, instead of doing something else (like blogging, hence the dust around here!). Keeping books scattered around the house, near all my sitting areas, also helped.

Today I’m linking up with the Modern Mrs. Darcy to discuss my favorite books from this year. *These are books that I read this year, they were not necessary published this year. I read so many great books, it’s almost impossible to narrow the list down. I decided to go with the standout books – the ones that impacted my life – and the stories that I really enjoyed. These are the books that that I would recommend or give to a friend.

Fiction

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

 

I conquered this beast of a book during the summer. I had mixed feelings going into it because I had heard mixed reviews and I liked the movie but wasn’t sure how the melodrama would translate in the story. The first quarter of the book was a little slow going for me but once Rhett Butler came on the scene I was completely and totally hooked on the story. Oh, Rhett Butler! Never have I loved and, at the same time, hated a fictional character as much as Mr. Butler. I would recommend this story for its characters alone, but the added bonus is how much I learned about the Southern perspective of the war, the harsh conditions they endured and the shady post-war reconstruction dealings. The ending was gut wrenching, even more so than the pathetic ending scene in the movie. It’s a time investment but well worth it!  

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Hands down, The Rosie Project was my favorite “feel good” story of the year. The sweet but misguided (and super uptight) main character, Don Tillman, finds himself paired with the easy-going but street-wise Rosie in a project to find her real father. At the same time, Don is trying to find his future wife using a series of tests that he’s created. Over the course of the project, they discover a few things about themselves, often with hilarious and sometimes poignant results. The story showed that we don’t always know what’s best for us.

Non-Fiction

Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

This is the story of how Barbara Kingsolver and her family moved to a farm and lived on locally produced food products for a year. She sprinkles the story with sobering information about our current farm practices and yet keeps us laughing with her stories about life on the farm. This book reads like a good conversation with a witty friend. The highest praise I can give it, though, is that her story was persuasive enough to cause us to change our habits. We started shopping at the local Farmer’s Market, my husband started making his own bread, and now we check labels in the produce section to see how far our apples have traveled. If you eat, you should read this book.

 

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

Do you notice a trend? I like books about food! This is not a cookbook (although the recipes are a nice perk!). It’s a compilation of stories, from her life, about food, friends and family, and faith, and how they are all connected. I think Shauna Niequist has such a neat writer’s voice. She gently inspires, encourages and makes the reader laugh, all at once. I feel like I could be her friend. I want to be her friend! This is a book to be savored.  

Wherever the River Runs by Kelly Minter

This is Kelly Minter’s story about how God lead her on several missions trip to South America and how it impacted her life. It reads like a travelogue, but inspires as much as some of my favorite Christian classic books. Read at your own risk, the story is so impactful that it might make you want to go on a missions trip!

Favorite Family Read-Aloud Book

Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West by Marguerite Henry

We read a lot of books together. This year we’ve read SO many great stories. I could write a whole another post on the topic. I’ve included this story here because I think this book is worth reading even as an adult. It is based on the true story of an unlikely hero, Annie Bronn. It starts with her early childhood and her struggles with polio, and then goes on to tell how she took on big business and the government to help save the wild mustang horses from being slaughter. Her story kept all of us on the edge of our seats, wondering how it was going to turn out. I think it’s an important story to read to kids because it shows how people can turn struggles into triumphs. It also made me think about how sometimes in life we are given situations that we can’t turn our back on and how we must find the strength to fight for what we believe in. It is truly a great book for all ages.

 

- The Runner-Ups -

These books didn’t make the cut but are worth mentioning….

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (great story but too bizarre for the “best of” list), 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (a solid love story with a Kleenex-worthy ending), 

Out of the Depths by Edgar Harrell (not as good as Unbroken but equally inspiring), 

Moccasin Trail by Eloise Jarvis McGraw and The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

My complete 2014 reading list is here.

What books did you enjoy in 2014?

What We're Into: Winter Edition

I love blog posts that do roundups of what people have been reading or listening to or what they’ve learned, etc. I think it’s fun and interesting and I almost always find something new to check out (in all my free time – ha!). So, just for fun, here’s my version of that concept...

I’m calling it “What We’re Into” and - who knows? - maybe I’ll keep going with this series, but for now I’m going to focus on the little things that have made our house feel cozy when it’s been blustery and cold outside.

First off, I have had these three albums on repeat since I turned off the Christmas music. Combine them all for the perfect wintery soundtrack.

Sara Groves – Invisible Empires

Sojourn – Before The Throne

Audrey Assad – Fortunate Fall

Second, while hibernating in your house, you’ve gotta have good snacks. Lately, we’ve been experimenting with fresh-made popcorn and different seasonings. We recently discovered that it’s SO EASY to pop your own popcorn! It does take a minute for taste buds to readjust from the god-only-knows chemicals that makes microwave popcorn so good but I promise these two recipes will not disappoint: Hot Cocoa Popcorn and Birthday Cake Batter Popcorn. I also recommend simply pouring melted butter on top with a sprinkle of sea salt. It’s super tasty, economical, and I’m guessing way better for you!

As for TV, we’re working our way through Season One of The West Wing and Once Upon A Time. We’ve also been watching a surprising amount of the Olympics. Without much prompting from us, the kids have been very interested in it. And now that we have cable again (after 3 years of not having cable!), it’s been fun to have it on throughout the day.

Lastly, we've been snuggling up on the couch with the kids and a good book a lot lately. And we've read some great books this past month (that could be another blog post...). To help ease “we’ve been in the house together too long” tensions, the kids and I are working through “TheYoung Peacemakers” by Corlette Sande.  It is a GREAT family study. The concepts are very easy to implement and the kids love it! I highly recommend it. Also, as part of our homeschool, we’ve been reading “The Long Winter” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have to admit, reading about their struggles and seeing the pleasure they found in the simplest things has encouraged my heart so much. I’m not sure who’s liking the story more, me or the kids?! 

According to the groundhog, we’ll be doing this winter thing for a few more weeks. Sigh. I hope you’re all finding a way to stay warm and cozy. (This doesn’t apply to my California and Arizona family and friends with your 80-degree weather. Psh!)

Homeschool Is Cool

   

We are officially halfway done with our first year of homeschool. YAY! 

Now that I have a few months of homeschool under my belt, I feel that I can give some opinion and have some perspective on it. It has been an adventure, and there are tough days with tears, but mostly it has been a HUGE BLESSING to our family.

First of all, the flexibility is exactly what we need while living out this crazy military life. Since we started school in early July, we were able to take a couple of days off in September to spend time with Bill after his deployment. We were also able to take some time off during our recent move – and then we picked right back up where we left off without concerns about new schools, etc. And on the days that Bill has off, or is home early, the kids are here and able to have the much-needed time with him.

Second, I am so proud of how well the kids are doing in school. I’m not an easy teacher. I know my child's potential and I won’t settle for anything less. I realize now that no one is going to push my kids as much as I do.

But, having said that, they really love school. I see passions lighting up in both of them and I’m able to gear my curriculum in that direction. And, most important, even through the struggles we are growing together and bonding in an entirely new way.

Speaking of passions, I love this quote...

“Passions weaken, but habits strengthen, with age, and it is the great task of youth to set the current of habit and to form the tastes which are most productive of happiness in life.” -The Map of Life, William Edward Hartpole Lecky

I hope to achieve both with our homeschool time. I want them to learn productive life skills while igniting passions. Yet, as this quotes infers, passions come and go but good habits last a lifetime. 

Finally, I love that I am able to point things out to them when we’re out and about and tie it back to something we learned a couple of weeks ago. No errand or outing is “safe” from a learning tidbit.

So, having come this far, it felt necessary to celebrate. On Friday we ordered pizza (kids’ choice), made and ate cupcakes, presented awards and made fun crafts (thank you, Kiwi Crate).

Lastly, if you’re interested, I highly recommend watching this commentary video about our current school system. Bill watched it as part of his class and then shared it with me. It’s entertaining, informative and thought-provoking. 

I'm so glad I decided to homeschool the kids. It works for our family right now. It was a huge leap of faith and has required so much from all of us but the rewards of seeing the kids learn and grow has made it so worth it.

My Favorite Books of 2013

Today I’m linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy’s blog to discuss the best books of 2013 (the best books we read in 2013, not necessarily published in 2013). According to my Goodreads account, I read about 20 books this year. You can see the complete list here.

I really enjoyed most of the books I read this year. But, for the purpose of this blog, I’m going to narrow it down to my Top 5 books. I’m not ranking them in order of least to greatest because they are all so different and hard to compare. 

I’m including a quick note on each book rather than a detailed review because I believe it’s better to go into a book with a fresh slate than with expectations from what others have said about it.  

Here they are...

Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill Bryson – I laughed on almost every page of this book. The author’s witty commentary on the people and places of Europe are spot on. Reading this book was like being on a European vacation – without the expense of airfare! Hands down the best travelogue that I’ve ever read.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – I hate to sound dramatic or cliché but this book changed my outlook on life. She has such a unique writing style, and because of it, she’s able to bring stories and ideas to life in a new way. Her heart for the Lord is inspiring, too.

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain – I kept seeing this book pop up on “Must Read” lists this summer but I was skeptical. I don’t really care about Ernest Hemingway or his life, so I wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not – but it grabbed me in the first chapter and didn’t let me go until the end. It’s an intriguing story in a fabulous setting. Having a glimpse into these iconic lives – good, bad and ugly – was utterly fascinating. Plus, his first wife was a diamond in the rough and I enjoyed “her” perspective of the story.

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls – Need a hero? Look no further than the lead character of this book. The author did an excellent job bringing her grandmother to life – all her spunk, sass and tenacity. Her life story is amazing, shocking and bittersweet. You’ll be cheering for her the entire time. Overall, an uplifting and inspiring story.

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker – Don’t’ let the title of this book scare you. This book isn’t a guilt trip. Actually, it’s more like meeting your friend at Starbucks and catching up on the latest antics. Through her excellent story telling, I was able to journey along side of her – while laughing and learning. I think about things from this book often. I can honestly say it’s still working on me. 

Again, I enjoyed so many books this past year  - and still feel "connected" to most of them - so it was hard to narrow it down to these Top 5 picks.

Finally, although I’m not a fast reader, I’m hoping to double the amount of books that I read this year. That would put me at about 40 books in 2014. Let’s see if I can do it!

What about you, what were your favorite books in 2013?