Moments 09.2023

Life Lately

September was a simple but beautiful month. We transitioned from swimming season to hiking season! 😉

We officially said goodbye to the pool & summer. I was grateful that our neighborhood kept the pool open past labor day, and we did not take a moment for granted. Z still asks to go swimming every day, but he’s starting to understand that the pool is closed.

Our seasons of family fun go from skiing (winter) to hiking (spring) to swimming (summer) back to hiking (fall) then repeat! So now we spend our free time exploring the mountains, watching the trees slowly change colors and enjoying the beautiful fall weather.

We have some great hikes very close to our home, so we have spent a lot of time exploring.

The fall colors are absolutely stunning here – and we can watch them change from our home so we know exactly where to go hiking! 😉

Since it’s hiking season, I have to give a nod to our favorite hiking backpack, the Deuter Kid Comfort Backpack. We bought ours 13 years ago (gasp) and it has been used heavily for 6 kids and it still looks new. We carry kids up to age 3 in this pack and it seriously has held up incredibly well. Look at sweet Z in there!

Homeschool

We’re in full-on school mode now, and so far it’s going great. Two of my kids had a significant increase in difficulty in their math curriculum from last year – one moving from grade 3 to 4/5 and one moving from 7/8 to Algebra 1. I was nervous about this, but both are doing amazing and it’s so encouraging to see how much they really have learned over the years.

Bethany is absolutely thriving in 7th grade. She goes to co-op alone, and it’s the first time I’ve ever just dropped a kid off for school and drove away. She is loving every second of it, and I’ve seen her grow so much in the few short weeks she has been attending the program. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her this year.

Things I’m loving

Here are some things I’ve been loving lately…

• Silicone baking mats. As baking season commences – I recommend investing in a handful of these baking mats. They have replaced parchment paper in all my cookie baking.
• Stila Eyeliner. My friend recommend this eyeliner and it is so good. It is the only eyeliner I’ve tried that really does stay on all day!
• Butternut squash mac and cheese. I make this recipe all the time in the fall. Purchasing frozen butternut squash makes it so easy!

Life & Faith

Sharing about faith in an authentic and honest way is something I don’t feel like is done enough in a culture where perfection is expected and anything less is excoriated.

I have been thinking about this a lot – Jesus rose with the wounds of His betrayal. I cannot claim to fully understand this truth, but it does give me hope. Bearing scars from the past doesn’t mean newness and hope have not yet come.

God resurrects in the midst of our humanity and brokenness, not in spite of it. It’s one of the most humbling truths of the life of Christ, and the greatest hope of the suffering soul. It should elicit our humility, grace, and gratitude.

Our souls suffer, but God knows and He sees and is making all things new. He brings darkness into the light and the unjust to perfect justice. God is fighting for us, forging the path of grace.

Because when I stop and let myself think about what people have done to us, I can hardly stand under the weight of it. But when, instead, I focus on what Jesus has done – my soul rejoices and my heart finds rest.

Snapshots

Enjoying the beautiful fall weather & hiking!

Ritch took Keilah on a daddy-daughter date. She has been set on going mini golfing. Look at that little sweetie.

What’s parenting 6 kids without a few scares? This girl gave me a run for my money this month. She tried to cut an apple herself and it did not go well. She probably should have gotten stitches, but thankfully the pediatrician found another way to help the cuts heal on their own without them.

These two little besties are so cute together.

Zach is still the sweetest little bear. He is talking so much and replies to almost everything we say with one of three words: What? Where? Why?

He is still a snuggly little bear, and is just the cutest little squish ever.

He had his first dentist appointment this month and he did amazing. I wasn’t so sure how it would go, but he did everything he was told to do without crying. He held my hand the whole time, but was so sweet and so good!