Joyfully Weary

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... I've really enjoyed reading and watching the events that have surrounded International Women's Day. The HeForShe   campaign has really resonated with me. I've considered myself a feminist since early high school but the word "feminism", especially in evangelical christianity, gets a bad rap. I'm not a man hater and I am not promoting promiscuity. I do, however, believe that men and and women are equal bearers of the image of God. I think it's great how Emma Watson has made it clear that being a feminist simple means you want equality for all.  via the Huffington Post. Eight other great quotes from Emma Watson's International Women's Day   talk or if you have time you can just watch the  video .   If you still need some convincing that Christians should be feminist this is a great article .  This blog post, "To My Sons on International Women's...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... favorite pinterest quote .  Jeremy and I always have trouble picking a movie for family movie night, thus, I was delighted to find  this list of 55 essential movies children must see . However, I advise using it with discretion. After reading this list we decided to watch The Muppet Movie and I still don't get the hype - it was a horrible movie and now my children keep saying "wacka, wacka".   I've talked before about my frustration with the over safety of playgrounds. Here's a great article on why  we need to bring back the merry-go-round . Are divorce rates exaggerated,  this author   seems to think so. I wonder if more 'hope' would make a difference.  And on a similar note,   is kindness the key to a happy marriage . If you want to read more this summer but can't seem to find the time, here are 14 brilliant pieces of literature you can rea...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... I'm sure almost every mother struggles with feelings of being overwhelmed - "There so much I need to do, I didn't get anything done today!" That's why this quote made me smile; a simple  reminder of a 'task' that should be one of the upmost importance.  found via pinterest If like me you are fan of young adult fiction, they make great beach reads ,  here are 95 suggestions .  If you are looking for books for your children to enjoy this summer, here are 24 that should captivate them . This is a great out of the box list, most of these books are ones I have yet to read/hear about.  One more book related item. Have you heard of the Lost My Name books. A child wakes up to discover that they have lost there name and then goes on an adventure to find it. The book is customizable and would make a great gift for a 2 to 5 year old.  Summer always seem...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... Father's day is still a couple weeks away, but t hese pictures and quotes from new dads in the hospital made me smile....and just for fun, here are two of my favorite photos of Jeremy. They were taken right after the birth of our first child.  so grateful that he's the person i get to parent with Jeremy and I frequently talk about the current shift in parenting culture and if the hyper-vigilant-super-safe parenting trend is really what is best for kids. It's hard when the internet and television bombard you with so many tragic circumstances, but we try to be a bit more free range .   This article by a mom who faced criminal charges for leaving her son  alone in the car  was interesting. We've both done it a few times when running errands (on non-hot days) and honestly, we'd probably do it more if we weren't afraid some well meaning person would be alarmed. A f...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... Gorgeous  hi-resoultion photos , that you are free download and do whatever you want with - 2 of my favorites... My kids love watching animal/science videos on YouTube but the videos can sometimes be hard to screen and the music can be downright frightening. This website , however, solves that problem and it is full of hand-picked interesting videos so you can relax and enjoying watching with your kids.  And a YouTube video that's definitely worth watch with your kids - a group of boys form a soccer team despite some pretty substantial barriers.  I've yet to pick it up but Jeremy's been telling me that I should read the book, The Artisan Soul . I don't think of myself as  an artist or even as creative. In this article ,  however, the author challenges us that as children of God maybe are a called to create.  I have mentioned before that Jere...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... favorite quote of the week More quotes , 14 inspiring women and the brilliant things they said.  Such a great  post   about the one word that should never follow, "I love you".  Last week  I shared 23 intriguing perspectives from some of the world's most famous places, this week it's views from above .  Once the weather starts to warm up I get the urge to start Spring cleaning. If you've also got the urge here are 87 ways to clean almost anything .  You've probably seen this (it was all over the web last week), but the  April Fools' joke these students played on their professor was brilliant!  I won't name names but one of my children is being especially difficult right now - so much whining! If you are also experiencing some parenting blues here are 8 mantras to help you get through the tough times.  A little obvious, but ...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... Can't wait to get my copy of Micha Boyett's new book,   ' Found: A Story of Questions, Grace, and Everyday Prayer ' . The preview chapter I read was well written and  engaging. S he seems to have some great insight on se eking the Lord in prayer, even when our lives feel mundane.  Dystopian young adult novels are all the rage now, but my first and favorite love will always be,   'The Giver' . I'm so excited that they have finally adapted the book for film, the first trailer can be seen,  here .  If you haven't read the book  yet - do it! It's a perfect quick weekend read.  A hilarious site for book lovers: Books with Bodies .  More book fun, 22 strong female characters in literature. A great reference if you are looking for a book to recommend to a young girl.  50 interesting, but not well known, facts about Chicago .  ...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... so excited for warmer weather, i'm even looking forward to cleaning the mud off this kid. Hilarious photos of young and old relatives swapping clothes. Fashion hacks every woman should know; I especially liked their tips for cleaning suede and making a new t-shirt soft.  You've probably already heard about this app ,  that lets you read novels in 90 minutes - I can't wait for it to actually be released! I get so much joy out of styling Little Lady's hair and I can't wait to try out some of these  creative hairstyles for little girls - some I might even try on my own hair. :)  Interesting stories behind fifty well-known books.  I love this post by a nonjudgemental mom . Thankfully, all my mommy friends are full of understanding and don't make a habit of jumping to conclusions; however, I have been on the receiving end of a few dirty looks from strangers. Wh...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... What  your handwriting says about you? How Chicago neighborhoods got their names.  Have you started your spring cleaning yet? Here are 50+ ways to help you organize your home.  I'm sure you've all heard about the lady who spilt coffee on herself and then sued McDonald's for millions.  Here's a different take on the story we've heard/read about several times - there really are two (or more) sides to every story. Adult friendly book suggestions based on your favorite childhood reads .  If you enjoy romantic comedies here are 58 of the best of all time - many I had never heard of before.  I've written a little bit before about my struggles with PMDD . The fact that for awhile, I believed the lie that Christian's shouldn't need to take medication for mental illness made the struggle all that more complicated. It was when I finally decided to seek m...

a photo from last year's valentine's day .  12 post-book Harry Potter revelations that J.K. Rowling has shared. I, however, completely disagree that Hermonie and Harry should of gotten married - Ginny is so perfect for him! National flags made out of each country's traditional foods - some of these made me very hungry.  These are breathtaking -  old books turned into sculptures .  19 beautiful and delicious cupcakes to make for your valentine.  Fab Sugar shares there 100 best outfits from Spring's 2014 fashion week.  Best indoor house plants , s upposedly they are hard to kill...probably not for me though.  Fun maps show where people run in 22 major cities.   Have heard of K5?   K5 Learning has an  online reading and math program  for kindergarten to grade 5 students. I've been given a 6 week free trial to test and write a review of their program. If you are a blogger, you may want to check out their ...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... I love hearing about people/communities who are willing to think outside the box to solve problems, the way  Utah is ending their homelessness epidemic  is inspiring.  12 unborn animals in the womb/egg    - it's fascinating/awe-inspiring to see how they develop. Design Sponge  offers  52 creative and affordable ways  to organize your home.  A  fun quiz about what city you should actually live in. I got Paris, what's your city?  Old-fahsioned things girls of the '80s and '90s loved - I was at some point obsessed with almost all of these things. I also thought I wanted to be Amish.  My little girl is pretty feminine. Don't get me wrong she loves doing stunts with her brothers but she also loves pink, dolls, sparkles, and clothes. I don't really have a problem with toy companies making items pink or purple; what scared me about...

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... 24 skills you can learn for free online. I'd want to learn how to code, read faster, and take better pictures.  Looking for a documentary;  this site as over 300 all listed by subject.  Jeremy and I always debate over how much to pay a babysitter. This article offers some great reasons why the "overpaying" of young babysitters may not be the wisest decision.  This Dad's essay on how he raised his twelve children was interesting. A bit egotistical at times, but thought provoking nonetheless.  A clever Dad makes the most out of his two-year-old's conversations by reenacting them with  adults.  Saving up for these shoes for spring. Since they are only $37, hopefully, I'll get there soon.  And my favorite Instagram of last week. Follow me here .  it's exhausting being a princess. 

A few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internet.... These images of where children around the world sleep is haunting.  In the midwest it's been unbelievably cold. Winter isn't all bad though, and here's how a few people found the beauty.  Foot track snow art Lighthouses transformed  be the freeze.  Frozen Bubbles Extraordinary snowflakes . I knew all snowflakes were different but the differences in some of these is astonishing! There is something mesmerizing about this  wind map . 10 new species  discovered in 2013 - my boys loved this.  There is still a somewhat subtle hope in me to someday be a librarian. These librarian problems are amusing...and a little sad.  Speaking of libraries and books, here is  Publishers Weekly's best books of 2013. Lots of picks no matter what strikes your fancy. Some of their suggestions I'm hoping to read this year: Someone: A Novel , When We W...

I little late getting these up this week. I fell asleep with my children (at 8:00!) a couple of nights...being a mommy is exhausting :) So better late than never, here are a few  worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internets. Favorite quote  of the week. 100 Ted Talks broken down into five minutes of reading. Good resource for finding which ones you want to take the time to listen to.  Ippo the Zonkey (half donkey, half zebra) is very cute.  Is the rise of social media causing a loneliness epidemic ?  Samantha was my favorite American Girl and now I have a pretty huge girl crush on Kate Middleton; turns out their might be a connection .  A beautiful tribute to stay-at-home moms.  Looking for a good book? Here is a list of the 2013 National Book Award Winners.  I always been a bit dubious about food/behavior connections but this research has caused me to give it some serious considerati...

A few worthwhile things I've stumbled upon while wandering the internets. The photo below is my  favorite pin  of the week. So much wisdom in that quote. I'm incredibly thankful for all the great stories that we can so easily share with our children.  More great thoughts on children/parenting;  does more worry equal more love ? Myers Briggs results for Harry Potter characters. I always knew I'd be in Slytherin but I didn't think I had quite so much in common with Draco.  Sesame Street does Downton Abbey .  These made me smile,  whimsical illustrations drawn around everyday objects.  Dinovember , kind of like Elf on a Shelf but way cooler.  I'm currently hunting for ties or bow-ties for the boys' christmas outfit. These are my current favorites: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , &  5 .  And speaking of Christmas I wouldn't mind unwrapping one of these adorable creature feature tops .  *hint hint Jeremy ;) ...

A friend  posted these words to Facebook and they were just what I needed to read this morning. Mommy guilt can be an ugly UGLY thing. It's so easy to feel like you are never doing a enough. I'm working on making myself relax. To rest and have peace in the moment.  image found here Likewise,  this poem  hit me hard this week. It feels like work to turn away sometimes, to disconnect, but a balance must be struck.  An artist's princess(ifies) 10 real life female role-models.  Jeremy's designing and  building Little Lady a doll house for Christmas, hopefully, he goes a more traditional route than these architects .  Have you heard of Brain Pickings before? Such a tremendous idea! I could get lost in the site for hours. Here's a great post to start on.  Another great idea, Design Mom's book quote prints series  is fabulous! Looking for a good podcast to listen to; check out this curated list of recommendations ....