Monthly Recap- February 2023

Grab a seat and take a minute for yourself while we catch up on February 2023.

Recent Buys

For Myself

• I have been loving this sweater and reach for it every time it is clean.

• These leggings are buttery soft and I branched out and got a light blue color, which is a nice change of pace from black.

• I wear these slippers every single morning now. I somehow started loving slippers a few years ago, and this pair is my favorite. So many reviews, so I’m not the only one.

• I decided to try these reusable makeup remover pads and have been liking them so far. I’m trying to take better care of my skin, but felt very wasteful with cotton balls or rounds going in the trash every night.

• Fleece lined tights are magical. I hate being cold, but still enjoy wearing dresses in the winter. Problem solved.

• I’m very much enjoying this new set of underwear- comfy and no lines.

For Ryan

• The kids got Ryan this PJ set for Christmas and he has been loving it! He’s not typically a jammy guy, but the way he will suit up in this cracks me up. Super soft and cozy, only downside is I fall asleep almost immediately if I rest my head on his shoulder.

For the Kids

• Brinley wanted some new crew cut socks. These are colorful and fit her criteria and she likes the pattern on these.

• Vaila needed something new for her hair. It is very long and curly, but the conditioner we were using before just wasn’t cutting it. This leave in spray conditioner smells great and leaves her hair looking healthier.

• I got this Paint by Sticker Book for Easter baskets, but they have the Christmas themed one and love it.

• Indestructibles books are new to me, but I’m a huge fan! Ellette still chews on books, especially as she is getting more teeth lately. We have had our fair share of books ripped and bitten apart recently, but these books are Lettie proof so far.

• We lost part of our Stomp Rocket last year when Ellette pushed it under the deck, so we got a new one because it is a fan favorite!

For the House

• I mentioned this electric scrubber on Instragram Stories, but oh my goodness is it amazing! Hiring someone to clean our house is just not in the cards right now with essentially only one income, so I had to find a better way to get all of my cleaning done. I loathe cleaning the showers, but this scrubber really speeds up the process.

• Do you ever notice the little edge of your baseboards or molding that collect the tiniest bit of dust but are impossible to clean? This scrubber is a super weird texture, but works like a charm.

What I Read In February

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

I thought this book was powerful and beautiful. Somehow love, family, and climate change all merge together to make this a wonderful book.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

A story woven together across time, it was a slow start for me and a little tough to follow in audio format, but about halfway in I fell in love. I’m not even sure how to describe this book other than bravery, humanity, heartbreak, and finding your place in the world.

Last Month on the Blog…

Here are some of the recent activities from the blog this month. I hope you find inspiration and try one of these ideas this month.

Family Happenings

It’s been a while since I’ve done a monthly recap. We were down and out from back to back to back illnesses for several months. It was a rough go from October-December. We are finally functioning again and that means I have a little more mental and physical energy to create blog content and share with you all. Here’s a brief update on our crew.

• Our family date in February was “ice skating”. The bigger kids really wanted to go and there is an artificial ice rink just a short drive away, so we went for it. We all had a blast and it was a great way to spend time together trying something new.

• I create a photo book for each child and gift it to them on Valentine’s Day (read more about it here) and these books are such a blessing! I don’t like to toot my own horn, but all of the girls look at them every single day. I don’t even just mean the new ones, I mean from the last 2 years. When I rotate the books every month, the kids always search for the photo books and bring them back out. I cannot recommend this enough.

• We are chugging along on Our Journey to 1000 Hours Outside in 2023. If I’m honest, there have been some days that I just simply do not want to go outside. Having some accountability and a goal to work towards has been helpful. I was aiming for 1 hour outside each day in January and February and fell a little short. I’m aiming for 2 hours each day in March and am hoping to make up some hours as well. I will continue to report back, but even if I don’t make it to 1,000 hours, I can already feel the difference in my mood and ability to self-regulate when I get outside.

• Brinley can read now! It is amazing to watch her learn new skills and work so hard at a task. I love reading and it has definitely been a way for us to connect, which I felt was missing with her in school full time this year.

• Ellette and Vaila have been having blast at a local story time group. I love seeing Vaila feel more confident in social situations and Ellette basically loves the music and in good keeping with her third child status generally runs amok during craft time. I’m usually left chasing her from station to station while everyone else comments on how adorable she is. I’m always exhausted afterward, but it is neat to see how excited they get this regular part of our routine.

Make it Monday

I’ve been branching out a bit for some of our dinners and have gotten good feedback from Ryan and Brinley. (Vaila and Ellette usually have separate meals due to food allergies, but we usually try to make something similar when possible.) Here is what we’ve been whipping up in the kitchen this month.

• Homemade Orange Chicken via Modern Honey. This was my first attempt at frying anything and I got raving reviews!

• Easy Lobster Bisque Recipe from Fab Everyday. I got some lobster in my most recent ButcherBox order and this soup was the perfect way to use it! I’m sure everyone has their own preference for lobster bisque, but this recipe hit the spot.

• The Best Meatloaf Recipe from Spend With Pennies. I’ve already made this twice and think you should too.

Check back next month for the recap of some of our go-to recipes or follow along on Instagram where I share our weekly favorite every Monday.

Looking Forward to March

We are gearing up for spring and looking forward to getting outside even more. The girls will have spring break in March and their dance recital in April. Throw in a few birthdays in May and I know we are going to ask “where did the time go?”

I know it can be tough to squeeze in activities or crafts with the kids, especially if you don’t have the supplies on hand. Here is a sneak peek at some items we will be using next month. Hopefully this makes it easier to follow along and less stressful for you.

• ribbon or yarn

• pom poms

• cotton balls

• Con-Tact paper

Shop the Site

I have created digital downloads for some of the projects and activities from the blog! These are available to purchase from the online store. I’ll add and update items regularly, including birthday and holiday products. If you don’t see what you are looking for, let me know by sending me a message.

Here’s what we added this month:

• Heart Themed Color and Number Sorting Pages. This doesn’t have to be limited to February- I know your kids will have a blast counting and sorting throughout the whole year.

Our happy place is outside, especially in the sunshine. I hope you find some joy in your week.

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