Dear Mushka,

I’ve previously talked about my quiet time with God and how I memorize scripture but this looks difference when you have a newborn baby, of course.

I personally thrive with structure and am a very organized person, this is how I normally do things, but a newborn changes it all! You’re exhausted, can’t process what you’re reading, your arms are always full and you’re just extra busy.

4 things I do during this season with a newborn:

Grace Grace Grace

The first thing I do is give myself grace. The first 6-8 weeks with a newborn I expect very little from myself in all areas of life. My routines and life in general looks very different. After that initial 8 weeks the baby gets their days and nights pretty much figured out - usually! My boys usually had a 7pm bedtime by then which changes everything.

For those first 8 weeks with a newborn just know it’s okay if this time looks very different than how you want it to look or to how it looked before. Give yourself grace!

I feel like this time helps you establish a dependence of the Lord which is so crucial to motherhood! Even if all you’re saying is help. This quiet time is not the goal - a relationship with God is the goal. Use this season to humble yourself and come to the throne of grace.

Pray!

Use this time to pray. It’s a wonderful way to use your time when you can’t do much else. Often I’m just stuck in a chair knowing that if I move Cru will wake up, so there I am just sitting by myself. I use this time to pray.

My thought wander more than normal because I’m tired but it always deepens my prayer. I’ve talked about prayer a lot in my IG Highlights but one thing that helps me is having a prayer topic for every day of the week.

You could just take a post-it note and write something quickly: Monday - Children; Tuesday - Spouse; Wednesday - Friends; etc. Whatever the focus in your life is. It does not need to be fancy.  You just need the reminders to help you focus your thoughts for prayer when you’re pacing a room at 2am.

Stick to your Bible reading plan as best you can

Again, give yourself grace with this and do the best you can. I’m currently reading through the Bible chronologically and during this season I’ll usually just pull it up on my phone or listen. I’ve also missed many days and just skip them so I don’t feel overwhelmed to catch up.

I trust that His words are getting rooted in me even when I’m not putting a lot of study behind them. Isaiah 55:11 says God’s words don’t go out void. So growth can happen even when we’re foggy as we read!

I also enjoy praying John Piper’s IOUS before I read my Bible and praying for God’s help before reading is crucial for me.

Memorize or Meditate

I also use this time to memorize scripture or meditate on a passage or chapter or verse. Whatever it looks like for you! It’s a good way to use your quiet time and I’ve memorized on chapter with each of my newborns! I’m currently working on Psalm 34 with baby Cru.

Focusing my thoughts here is hard, but it’s so beneficial. It may be the only time in the word I get and I need that! You can also choose to get meditate and repeat one verse for your newborn season.

One verse that has been such a comfort to me during this time is paired with our Servant Necklace and it reflects that idea that I can serve because of Jesus’ example and the power of the Holy Spirit. I wear this necklace daily during this season to serve as a reminder and have the corresponding verse card taped to my bathroom.

I hope these were helpful reminders and that you know that you are not alone. The newborn season is hard! Remember that this is a short season and that in 8 weeks things will begin looking differently again.

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This week I shared a special guest appearance from my dear friend walking through infertility and miscarriage share her story on the Dear Mushka IG stories.

This is not part of our story but I know that is part of so many of yours! I think it’s so important for both sides to talk about this - for those of you walking the road of infertility or miscarriage to share what it’s like for those of us who aren’t, so we learn how to encourage you and love you well!

Head over to the “Infertility” Highlights if you want to watch her share her journey or simply read below. I’ve also included some Dear Mushka jewelry pieces for women walking through this season of motherhood.

Jessi has words for us all to learn and will share both sides of the people groups. Remember that we are made to do life together so I hope you find value in this guest appearance!

Jessi is a friend from church and I reached out to her a few weeks ago to share her story of walking through a difficult season. Her husband and her have been walking a season of infertility for the past 5 years.

Trent and Jessi got married 6.5 years ago and about 18 months into their marriage, Jessi started to feel that maybe some things just weren’t quite right with her body. A doctor’s appointment led to two different diagnoses of infertility which has been extremely painful.

It was very unexpected as someone who was in her early twenties but five years later, she feels like the Lord has used this situation more than any other in her entire life. Now she is very grateful to be in a space to hopefully share some encouragement and help!

If you yourself are walking through infertility, here are three pieces of encouragement that have come through lots of trial and error and asking for lots of grace:

Surround yourself with community

Confessing that you are going through a season of infertility is really uncomfortable and really hard because you are discussing some of the most intimate details of your life but we are simply made to do life with other people. We need people to strengthen us with truth when we can’t.

Learn to rejoice with those who rejoice

This is something that I really struggled with during the first years of infertility. It can be difficult to hear other women’s other exciting news when all I wanted was some of that news for myself. However, it is a loving thing to rejoice with others when they are rejoicing and it’s amazing to see how these people also mourn with you as you mourn. Gospel friendship is a beautiful thing.

Remember that Jesus is our greatest treasure in all of life

This is by far the most important. Jesus is so kind to give us devoted husbands and Godly friends and good gifts but He is our greatest treasure.

He came to Earth to be a broken body on a tree so that these broken, infertile bodies of ours could be redeemed someday and not stuck in this situation forever.

If you are someone NOT walking through infertility or perhaps know of someone who is, here are my tips for providing encouragement and love to those who are:

Include women who are not mothers in your tribe

It is such an honor when a mom lets me love her kids and be her friend and just includes me in her family dynamic. I’ve learned so much from the Godly moms in my life that I can’t wait to hopefully use in my own family one day.

Love doesn’t grow weary

If you have a friend who is walking through infertility its likely that they are going to hurt intensely month after month - its just the nature of it. Pray for a heart that is long suffering and stay with your friend as they hurt over and over again. This is not a quick pain.

We don't need to be fixed

I know there is a temptation to share an article you’ve read or a new treatment or doctor but sometimes what we need most is to be seen and heard and loved. There are certainly situations where sharing is helpful but remember that we are doing our own research as well.

Jessi also chose to share some Dear Mushka pieces that have helped her while walking through this difficult season. I love that she chose different pieces that I would have - proof that God’s words go far beyond one situation.

The Encounter Necklace reminds me to not give up on praying and that the Lord doesn’t tire of our prayers.

The Befitting Earrings are paired with the scripture verse that depicts Him increasing while we decrease with the jewel hanging, going back to what I said before about Jesus being our treasure!

The Expectant Necklace is one I wear nearly every day (it is actually a Dear Mushka piece made especially for infertility). It mimics an empty cradle and also open hands that reminds me that I am willing to accept that Lord’s good plan and will wait expectantly for whatever He gives.

Jessie said that you’re welcome to message her if you’d like to!

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Mother's Day is our second biggest holiday and as a woman, I truly understand why. On this day, there is little more I want than ways to remember my sweet children + Gospel truths to stand on when I'm feeling overwhelmed. I also know the loss of a mother, the angst of feeling like an imperfect mother, the sorrow as friends walk through miscarriage or infertility and long to be a mother, etc. 

I hope this post helps you navigate the pieces we offer and allows you to find the perfect thing for your heart or a loved one's heart. xx

To Celebrate Children:

· A piece from the No. 139 Birthstone collection here -- add one or multiple birthstones. Grandmothers love this! 

· The Priority Ring here-- wear one for each of your children, add more as your family grows!

· The Called Necklace here -- add one initial or multiple and keep your children close to your heart (or a grandmother's heart). Also a precious way to honor the loss of a child. 

· The Brimming Necklace here-- a great option for someone experiencing motherhood after years of waiting. Rejoice with those who rejoice!

· The Quiver Necklace here -- add as many arrows as you need and think on Proverbs 127:4

Adoption:

The Together Necklace here -- we have a verse card for birthmothers, adoptive mothers, and (new!) adopted daughters as they get older. Can you picture all three matching? Precious! 

To Help During Hard Seasons:

· The Aid Necklace here -- created especially for when a loved one or unborn child dies. Miscarriage, loss of child, loss of mother, no relationship with a mother. Let this verse meet you in all of the hard! 

· The Expectant Necklace here -- created especially for someone walking through infertility. Open your hands to what God has in store for you. 

· The Keeper Necklace here-- know that you are seen and your tears are kept; add tear drops for each miscarriage or loss.

· The Portion Necklace here-- because God, not children or health or obedience, is our hope. Amen!

· The Carried Cuff here -- because you're being held as you mother; this is a shop bestseller, for sure! 

· The Harvest Necklace here -- available in lots of colors with a wonderful reminder that the work you're doing will one day product fruit; keep planting seeds in your child's life!

· The Enduring Necklace here-- especially wonderful for mothers parenting a child with special needs 

For Spiritual Growth as you Mother:

· A Promise Pack here -- perfect for putting up all around the house to keep your eyes on truth even when you feel too busy to spend a long time in the Bible

· The Servant Necklace here-- a reminder to serve your children, through the power of Jesus

· A 2 Cor 12:9 Art Print here -- because God is greatest when are weak and in need of Him for energy, wisdom, and joy. 

To Gift to Another as a "Thank You" for being the mother they are

· Here's a blog post I wrote that highlights a lot of pieces you can use to say "thank you". I think you'll find a lot of good options here! 

 

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Our third son, Cru, was born last week and we are thrilled to have him in our arms.

You can read about our past adoption experiences in these blog posts. For this third adoption, we used Faithful Adoption Consultants again. I highly recommend them or a similar route if speed is a priority to you. We went active around Valentines Day, were matched five weeks later, and held our son two weeks after that!  

You can also follow my personal IG account along here. 

Many of you have asked for adoption tips beyond choosing an agency so here are a few things this three-time-adoptive-mother would recommend as you prepare to bring your little one home. 

1. Rent an Airbnb as you wait out ICPC. A hotel gets old fast. If you can find a place with a kitchen, living room, and bedroom you'll be able to spread out, avoid eating out so much, and feel more like you're at home while you await the clear to head back to your home state. Ours was just $10 more a night... very worth it.  

2. Pack those little things babies need when they come home from the hospital. A baby thermometer, vaseline for post-circumcision, a nail file perhaps? Of course, a Target or Wal-Mart is probably close by, but if you don't have to buy a duplicate, why do it? 

3. While you're at it, pack a variety of clothing sizes for your little one.  Because my other two boys wore them for multiple weeks, I only brought newborn clothes and as it turns out.. baby number came out too big for them! I had plenty of the next size up at home and kicked myself for not bringing a few of them. Lesson learned! 

4. Bring comfortable, realistic clothes for yourself. This is not the time to look fancy and dolled-up. You might not have delivered a baby, but your emotions have gone through the ringer. Lay low, enjoy being cozy (and make-up free!) while you're away from the company of your friends and family. 

5. Take advantage of the time you have in a different city. Travel all around the state you're in-- for our second son we visited the Red Rocks in Arizona and for number three we planned to go to Waco (hello, Joanna) until we got the clear to come home earlier than expected. 

6. Likewise, enjoy parenting with just your spouse and new child. Did you leave other children at home? Soak up being a parent to just one newborn-- what a unique bonding experience! Go out to eat with your husband before your child gets too old to do so, snuggle up on the bed and watch a movie in between feedings, go for walks, do a little reading!

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While there is nothing inherently wrong with candy or bunnies, Easter is about abundantly more than what our culture has made it. 

If you're set on creating an Easter basket for your child, here are some ideas that can keep the focus on Jesus and spur on sweet, Gospel conversation!

1. Resurrection Eggs-- My boys can't wait to break these out every year. We usually start them 12 days before Easter (one egg per day), but if you don't have a set they'd be a wonderful thing to include in a basket this year to talk about all morning long.  

2. The Child Pack-- If your kids don't have Bible verse cards, this is the sweetest beginner pack made just for them. As soon as children can talk, they can memorize verses and these are perfect ones to begin with. Plus, they're adorable (if I do say so myself!). We have a few hanging in our boy's rooms :) 

3. A Cuddle + Kind Doll-- Every purchase provides 10+ meals to children in need. This could open up a conversation about how we use our blessings to serve others, or to prompt prayer for those who have less than you do. 

4. A Garden Tools Set-- Perhaps with some seeds, too. As you plant, you can talk about how God brings life, created all things, faithfully grows us, etc. 

5. A book like this one or this one-- Snuggle up and read about Jesus together, or even consider reading one of these around the lunch table with family & friends! 

6. A Jesus-Focused Activity Book-- Maybe with some new crayons, too.

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We know that motherhood comes with every emotion possible.

I wanted to share four gifts ideas for either yourself, a good friend or anyone you know walking through a specific season of motherhood.

If you’re shopping for someone walking through any of these up and downs, we pray these pieces and verses are exactly what their hearts need to find hope and thanksgiving this season. Every piece comes boxed with a verse card and is covered in prayer.

Watch the video below to see each piece in detail or find them linked below with thier corresponding verse✨

Infertility

The Expectant Necklace is supposed to mimic an empty cradle for a season of infertility (or any season of waiting). The verse that accompanies it is: Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act・Psalm 37

I used this verse for infertility because we can wait expectantly for something like a child while trusting that if we commit our lives to God, no matter what happens, He promises to act in the very best way on our behalf.

Miscarriage

The Aid Necklace reminds us of Who fills the holes in our hearts as we mourn the loss of a child or loved on. It’s accompanying verse is: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds・Psalm 147

Adoption

The Together Necklace is especially close to our hearts because we have adopted two little boys and have a third little Mushka on the way. (If you would like to help bring our next little one home, you can find more information here!)

This necklace has a triangle to show the three people groups that make up an adoption - the adoptive family, the birth family and the child. The little heart hangs down to represent the love shared between them all.

It also comes with the option of two different verses, one for adoptive parents and one for birth parents. The adoptive parent verse is: For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to Him ・1 Samuel 1:27

The birth parent verse is: The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing・Zephaniah 3:17

Long Awaited Child

The Brimming Necklace makes the sweetest gift to celebrate a long awaited child. What I love about the design is that it pairs so well with the Expectant Necklace-- they tuck into each other.

It comes with the accompanying verse: For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things・Psalm 107:9

This, of course, does not mean that God always sees fit to provide a child. But always, always He promises to fill our souls with Himself, which is the real gift. 

These necklaces can also be switched and used for different seasons, however you see fit. It can be so challenging to know what to gift others during these difficult seasons of life - I hope these make it just a little easier❤️

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Every Friday I share some of my favorite things on my IG stories from our newsletter for the week. This week I thought I’d do something a little different and share some of our faves from our home's bedrooms.

Watch the video for a virtual tour and get a sneak peak into our home. You can find some of the mentioned favorites linked below.

Our Nursery Room is the new baby’s room!

We’re so ready for little Mushka number three to come home. If you’d like to find out how you can make our next adoption possible, you can find more information here.

The shelf and burnt orange blanket is from IKEA with artwork from Rifle Paper Co. The hanging mobile is from Target and you can find the wallpaper from D. Marie Interiors.

Our Two Year Olds Room

Features a bunk bed that is actually supposed to be a loft play area also from IKEA. We painted and are absolutely in love. It’s perfect for transitioning a little one from a crib to a bed because you can’t really fall out.

The kids’ bedding is from Target. I’ve also used a DIY Pom Pom trim to hang as makeshift “bunting”. I love it because it gives the illusion of being expensive when really it’s just from a craft store, comes in a zillion colors and costs just a few dollars per yard.

The curtains are from Target. To get more fullness I sewed two panels together! We’ve used the same IKEA shelves in this room because the boys love to see the covers of their books and they are great for promoting reading.

Our Four Year Olds Room

We’re still working on this one and plan to get a desk for him and some final touches. We upgraded our bed to a King Size (best purchase ever!) so our little man, Brooks, got the Queen Size.

The US map is from Crate&Barrel.

The dressers are from IKEA as well - can you tell we love IKEA? They are great for organizing and you can easily place a changing mat on top of them if needed.

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In our home, we use passages like Deuteronomy 6:5-7 to help aid in our parenting and daily rhythms. 

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 

We certainly aren't perfect (far from!) but are frequently evaluating and adding ways to keep our home Gospel-centered.

Here are ten practices that help us.

1. The first is simple, and it's to let them see us reading our Bibles. I can tell them until I'm blue in the face that I value God's words, but they'll only really understand it when they see me physically choosing my Bible over other activities. Often times, I'll re-read what I've read in my quiet time (which takes place before they wake up) while they're awake so they can see me using my Bible in everyday life. Bonus: It also helps my reading sink in when I see the same words more than once.

This is the Bible I use, but I recommend most Study Bibles. The ESV is my favorite translation. 

 

2. We try to start our mornings off with a time of praise and devotion to to God. Right now, we're working our way through Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing, and have really enjoyed the simple thoughts that provoke good conversation. I read over breakfast, they ask questions, I try to give everyday examples.

Then I lead them in a prayer that relates to what we've just read so they can practice talking to God and sharing their hearts with Him.

Lastly, we sing a hymn together. Mostly, it's me singing and them acting crazy (real life), but they're seeing how to worship God and this practice helps to start our day off right. No matter what, we've worshipped together and that's a beautiful day. 

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3. We usually read a Bible story every night before bed, but we may move this to our morning devotion time when we're done with the above book. Regardless, The Jesus Storybook Bible is a favorite, but we've also used The Big Picture Bible and hope to use The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible this year to intentionally teach our children more about the Holy Spirit. We read one story at a time and point out characteristics about God.

As you choose a children's Bible, look for one that keeps God the main focus and not ourselves. After all, the Bible is a book about God! 

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4. We try to play scripture-to-song music at least once a day (usually during lunch). We love Seeds Family Worship & Sing the Bible. Often times, we find ourselves humming + memorizing scripture without even thinking about it. I still remember some of the scripture songs I learned as a child, and hope some of these will stick with our children, too. God says His words never go out void, and I pray the scripture they're hearing softens their hearts to God's truths. 

Having your favorite worship music on in the background is a great idea, too. 

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5. An older & wiser friend once told me that she used the Fruits of the Spirit to parent and something clicked in my mind. I didn't have to overcomplicate it or come up with our family values; they were already there for me to use! So now we talk about each one, point out when someone is acting in that way vs not, and pray for the Spirit to lead us towards these characteristics through His power. It's simple & helpful as we learn to love one another. 

I made this art print for Dear Mushka, really for my own self, and have it framed in our house where I see it frequently. 

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6. At dinner, we're working towards reading a Psalm together and then talking about it. We open up our "adult" Bibles and let them listen in as Robert and I talk about what we just read.

If you haven't caught on, mealtimes are are an excellent time for us to re-focus our thoughts towards Christ. They're expected and predictable, which helps all of us establish good patterns and habits. Do we do it 3 x day, 7 days a week? Of course not. But when we've worked 21 times into our week, we're much more likely to do it 10 or 15 times than if we'd casually tried to do it when we thought about it. 

We have a Psalm only Bible that stays at the table. I also love this guide to the Psalms to spark conversation or help me understand a specific Psalm. 

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7. Beyond our Bibles, we're growing quite the collection of Gospel-themed books to read throughout our days. Reading is a skill & passion I want our boys to develop, and I think it's important to put high quality, engaging, beautiful books in their path. Here are some of the ones we read over and over (and over) again!

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8. Scripture Memory is an area I want to grow in (for myself and my children!) this year. Last year, we started with Psalm 23, one verse at a time, until my four year old memorized the whole thing. We practice it a few times a month, but this year we're starting to use The Child Pack-- a scripture memory pack I created for Dear Mushka, just for children :) I tried to a year ago and we weren't ready, but now feels more right. 

One verse every two weeks. That's doable! And then I'm going to create them one of these boxes so we're constantly reviewing. I think I'll add this to our morning time together; it will only take a few minutes. 

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9. We'd also like to grow in the area of serving others together. James 2 tells us that faith without works is dead, which really means that we can talk the talk all we want, but the proof of our faith and love for Jesus will come when we walk the walk. I want my boys to see that this world is full of need, and that God has equipped us to help one another through our actions. 

One intentional act of service a month is my goal, but truthfully I pray it becomes a way of life for our family-- constantly looking for ways to serve and love our neighbors. 

Ideas: Taking meals to new mothers, visiting our elderly next door neighbors or local nursing homes, donating money to adoption fundraisers, volunteering at various organizations around town, putting together care packages for those in need, sponsoring more children though places like Compassion International, etc. 

10. Lastly, we want to be a family who prays together, always. We want to see a need and drop to our knees before our Father right away. Sometimes, this looks like praying when an ambulance zooms by. Other times, it means we ask for God's help as we learn to love our siblings instead of kicking them. 

We also want to be quick to give God all the glory when we have a fun day, see a beautiful sunset, eat a good meal, etc. 

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Of course (of course!) we don't do all of these things all the time. And the good news is that it's totally okay. We can rest assured that it is God who draws hearts to Himself, not our good actions. These are all ways we aim to intentionally plant seeds in our children's lives and set them up with lifelong habits to draw them close to God. But it is HIM who does the watering and growing. 

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. -1 Corinthians 3:7

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I've been making my own laundry detergent for seven years now and occasionally get asked about the recipe so I thought I'd share it here. 

It's easy to make, effective, and inexpensive (costing around $.14 a load). With three little boys, I do roughly 5-6 loads of laundry a week. This last batch lasted a solid nine months! 

You can find all the ingredients stacked together at Wal-Mart in the laundry aisle, or scattered a little at most Targets (it's hit or miss for me). You can also buy them all together on Amazon for a little more money. 

You'll Need:

One box of 20 Mule Team Borax 65oz

One box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda) 55oz

Three bars of soap (not detergent) like Fels-Naptha or Dr. Bronner's

1 tub of Oxi Clean (optional- good on stains, but not "natural")

 

 

To Make: 

Roughly chop your bars of soap and put in a food processor until they're crumbled into bits around the size of a pea or smaller.

Combine all ingredients into a 2 gallon canister (something like this) for use. I pour in half the ingredients, mix, pour in the second half, and mix again. It makes a lot! 

Use around 1 Tablespoon per load. 

That's it! 

I'm usually asked if it really gets out stains and my answer is a resounding YES. If something doesn't come out, I soak in oxiclean and water and then re-launder the next day. I rarely have a problem. 

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We moved into our house over the Summer so this is the first Christmas we're spending here. That always feels a little extra magical doesn't it? 

I promised you all a house tour months ago (whoops!) so I thought a little Christmas edition would be fun until I get around to a room-by-room post. Enjoy!

1. This fireplace is in the space we've turned into the dining room. We painted the brick and have plans to tile inside the no-longer-working fireplace space (and instead put a fireplace outside!) For now, the brass gate is up so that a certain toddler does not walk around soot-covered all day ;) 

I leave the "Give Thanks" banner up all November & December because it feels extra applicable around Christmas time. 

My favorite part is the The Little People nativity set in the corner. Mostly, my kids have fun throwing the people across the floor (#boys), but it also sparks sweet conversation. 

Mirror- Anthropologie (snagged on a big sale)

Small Trees & Give Thanks Banner- Target

White Bunting- Joann's Fabrics (I just snipped a few yards from a spool)

Brass Candle Sticks- Antique

Bigger Trees & Wreath & Basket- TJ Maxx

 

2. I found this dresser on Craigslist a few years ago and have loved moving it around from house to house. Right now, it's tucked into our kitchen and holds things like cloth napkins and table runners. 

The basket is for our mail and the large piece of art was a gift from my Dad a few years ago. It makes me think of him all the time :) 

I love layering in holiday pieces here for a little whimsy and fun. 

Abstract Art- One King's Lane

Born is the King Art- Salt Stains (she custom made this for me)

Nativity Art- Rifle Paper Co (I just framed a card)

Basket- Old

Wooden Tree & Lamp- Target 

 

3. I talked all about this book on this blog post & in my Instagram Stories (I saved them to my highlights-- "advent"), but this is where it will stay all month long. I leave this tray out on my kitchen counter as a constant call back towards God's word when I have a free minute. Having it right in front of my eyes has helped me keep my focus on Christ instead of social media.

Candle & Tree- Target

Tray- garage sale

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus- I'm so excited to begin this! 

Bible- I think mine is out of print, but this is a very similar option. 

 

4. Last year, we decided not to hang ornaments that didn't point our eyes back to Jesus. Of course, you can make so many things work (the rhino above... creation!), but it has been the sweetest way to turn our attention from a cultural Christmas to a Jesus-centered one. The boys love seeing their "first Christmas" photo ornament and talking about how Jesus came as a baby boy, too. 

 

5. This is the advent calendar I talked about on this blog post & in my Instagram Stories (I saved them to my highlights-- "advent"). It hangs in our dining room, where our Christmas tree is. Every morning, we'll pull out the ornament, read the corresponding verse, and hang it on the tree. I love how our tree displays the whole gospel story, from Genesis to Jesus, on Christmas morning. 

 

6. Our boys each have a touch of Christmas decor in their rooms, too. This banner is soft and perfect for little hands (we're getting really good at finding all the letters in "Merry Christmas"). 

And yes, that's the giant bear from Costco. My dad got it for Brooks three years ago and it is still a most-beloved item. 

Banner- TJ Maxx

Bed- Ikea

Sheets- Target

 

7. Another little peek at Brooks' room. Growing up, we always had a small tree of our choice as a night-light to use all season; I love passing down this tradition. It's the only colored-lights tree in the house and I have to admit, it's my favorite. 

 

8. We kept our kitchen pretty simple (although the two big windows are begging for some pine garland above them!)-- for now, just a wreath by the stove and a cozy cookbook in the basket is perfect. 

Basket- Target

Cutting Boards- Anthropologie clearance

Wreath- TJ Maxx

Book- The Year of Cozy 

 

9. This is my office & also our family library. It's my favorite room in the house, no surprise :) The chair is worn and faded so I just threw a king-sized coverlet on it and called it a day.

The art prints are so inspiring to me, four very different women all in conversation with one another. I often use it as a muse when I create new lines, picturing you all and your stories. 

Light- Pottery Barn 

Coverlet- I can't remember but here and here are similar

Pillow Cover- Etsy, shop no longer open 

Art- Elizabeth Mayville 

 

10. This is a cozy little spot in our living room. A flocked tree (from Goodwill!), a winter edition of The Magnolia Journal, and an extra blanket or two make a perfectly decorated space. 

We recently hung the gallery wall and, of course, I just want to stare at it all day long. My three men have my heart. xx

Frames- Ikea

Couch- Sprintz

Wire Basket & Tree- Goodwill 

Candle- Anthropologie 

Table- Overstock or Wayfair, I can't find a link. Sorry!

 

11. Here's a pulled back view of our living room. We added the walls to make the library on the end (it used to be one really long room) and use this space all day long, for reading and small groups and running in circles. The book basket on the table holds seasonal books, and my boys love to sit there and look through the new ones I put out. (Well, my 4 year old does. My 1 year old just likes to try to jump from the table to the couches...)

A bigger coffee table, piano, and maybe a layered rug are in the plans for one day, but I think there is such value in living in a space before you begin to add in/change too many things. 

Couch- Sprintz

Rug- Rugs USA

Table- Vintage

Art- DIY by me

Leather Chair- Vintage, from Robert's grandpa! 

Office Chair- World Market

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As you can see, we love decorating with simple things (lights & trees mostly) that make us think of the Creator & Light of the World. Merry Christmas season, sisters. xx

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