Sidewalk Chalk and Sunshine
My husband and I got married 10 years ago today. In celebration of the ten years that tie together with Valentine’s Day last weekend, I am offering a special discount. Make sure you get your order in before the end of the month.
Use code LOVE for 14% off every order.
THOUGHTS FROM MY READING CORNER |
We go to the family cabin every summer. I’ve gone every year since my husband and I started dating. As I’ve gotten older and our lives have subsequently gotten busier, I have grown to appreciate the slowdown. To be surrounded by towering trees, winding roads, and the soothing sounds of water lapping the shore. It is grounding. These moments of calm—with a good book in hand and warm sun blanketing my shoulders in the early morning breeze are priceless.
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle that we forget to experience the little moments that create a beautiful life. In the dead of winter, when you learn that the groundhog saw his shadow, a day of sunshine can be the reminder we need to embrace those seemingly inconsequential days. We get caught up in the to-do list checkmarks, and it doesn’t occur to us to bask in the glorious warmth of the rays.
I’ve had a list a mile long that I’ve been chipping away at. As the list grows, patience sometimes shrinks. When you are so stuck on a schedule and a plan, deviating seems not only a setback but a waste of time. But what if we shifted our perspective on the setback? No longer viewing it as such, but instead what it actually is, a blessing?
I’m writing this as I sit on the front porch. Sun on my face. To-do list to the wind. The sound of my daughter’s chalk against the stone. We are bundled up. Our noses are running, but a miraculous thing can happen when you sit (without a phone) and observe your surroundings. A bird landing in the tree becomes a special treat. I witness my daughter wave hello to the bird as I whisper a prayer of gratitude for the exchange. Although it’s technically a sick day, I can appreciate how healthy it is to slow down. To feel the crisp, cold air on our cheeks and wave to a curious bird on a sunny day in February.
No longer waiting and counting down until our next summer cabin trip. Today was my beautiful reminder that slowing down and embracing the outdoors can be just as grounding and rewarding from my front porch as from the dock on the lake.
Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading.
-Katie Marie
THE KIDS’ CORNER |
What We Are Reading
Tuck’s Bookshelf: A Pokémon book of characters and you decide who would win in a “battle”
Ella Bella’s Bookshelf: As of this week, Ella is still flipping through my Harry Potter books. I can’t wait until we start reading them all together.
My Bookshelf: Brave Woman, Mighty God
Tip: We have a basket of books in the living room that the kids can pick from at any time. Sometimes I bring books to the front that they haven’t seen in a while, and we get to reread and relive the magic of an old favorite.
THE CRAFT CORNER |
Curing Boredom
…you can’t, but that’s kind of the beauty. We want our kids to be bored to delay some of the instant gratification they feel from screens and other activities. Boredom can be a breeding ground for creativity and imaginative play. Here are some of our recent activities to cure the “boredom.”
-Sticker by number books (kind of like paint-by-number, but with stickers)
-playdough
-LEGO
BOOKS BY KATIE MARIE
