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First Week of School 2015

I have felt really optimistic about this first week of school until it all came crashing down today. J has had to take over car pooling/kid watching due to me having a fever and barely being able to breath or sleep. So I went to the doc and everyone agreed I need to be on antibiotics now. Even though I don’t love having to take meds (especially when pregnant), I am grateful for the relief I should soon be feeling.

We started this week off with a practice run complete with our first day of school clothes (brought to you by Carter’s) and then took off for a photo shoot of the snazzy ensembles.

I will be posting more next week for the Carter’s Count Me In campaign. I have some sale information and a coupon that I know you are going to love so be on the look out for that.

Tuesday we did another dry run because I have become really militant about our schedule now that school is back in session so all week long we pretended to go to school. I’m talkin’ wake up, get school clothes on, and get out the door on time. We even drove to the school itself to see how we did on time.

Then we went to a park before the fog had lifted and most children were at home with their sane mothers enjoying their final day of sleeping in.

We even practiced packing a lunch and carrying our backpacks.

Sometimes I think I have lost my marbles with how hard core I have been. Then other times I realize how much it has paid off. More on that later. I’ll plan to spill all of the details of my latests OCD school schedule next week because although it’s only been one week, I am a believer.

Wednesday was the real deal for SJ. She is officially a Kindergartener.

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Photo courtesy of Ohio Valley Voices

She was so excited. When I dropped her off and picked her up all I saw was a gigantic grin from ear to ear. She has two main teachers. One focuses on speech while the other is more of the academics teacher. Both of them are amazing and she has worked with them before so it should all be smooth sailing.

The best part about SJ’s first day was how talkative she was afterwards! She told us about her school bus craft. She told me she ate all of her lunch (naming each item) and said she liked her food.

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Photo courtesy of Ohio Valley Voices

She said she played with all her friends (and named each one).

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Photo curtesy of Ohio Valley Voices

This time last year we would have been limited to yes or no questions. She really couldn’t articulate any of the days events at all, so now I’m the one grinning from ear to ear. I am just thrilled with the progress she has made. This is going to be the best school year yet!

Z had Meet The Teacher on Monday.

So far it’s all been great. I’m already extremely happy with his teacher. This guy is passionate about reading, challenging the students, and also working on good character. I have loved Z’s female teachers, but I’m pretty excited about him having a male influence to say that learning is cool and fun!

Z has a new cast, new glasses, new shoes, new supplies, even a new haircut. We are in a tight spot right now, but the Lord has provided all of the things that we need. Every. Single. Thing. I am so grateful for His many blessings!

As for Ezie, he is feeling the effects of being the little guy. He wants to wear a back pack so we let him carry Z’s old one.

He even has Z’s old lunch box inside it. He talks about school and asks about his brother and sister frequently. He’s a trooper though. Only three more months and then he won’t be the only child at home anymore.

I’ll admit I am having a little too much fun getting that fluttery back-to-school feeling. I guess it reminds me of my childhood and the fact that my kids are still really interested and happy about school certainly helps. There are so many things I love about this season, especially knowing that fall is right around the corner!

Do you have any school age children? Have they started school yet?

By Natalie|2015-08-21T20:39:56+00:00August 21, 2015|Lifestyle, My Life, Schooling, Uncategorized|5 Comments

The Beginning of the School Year Mom is Back

I said it last year and I’ll say it again, I am that mom that starts the school year out with a bang. You may have read Jen Hatmaker’s perfect analysis of The End of Summer Mom vs The End of the School Year Mom.

That’s me. I feel as focused as a race horse with blinders right now and I’ve got my eye on the summer finish line.

I am currently reading Organize Yourself, by Ronni Eisenber and Kate Kelly,

because that is the zone I am. Summer was fun, but now I am ready to be productive! There is exactly one week left until school and I have my calendar down to a science between Meet the Teacher, Doctor’s visits, and getting all the necessary back to school supplies.

I know I might sound like I am overdoing it with ultra planning mode for this next school year, but I want to be prepared. Last year I learned that this is the Boy Scout motto and this year I’m stealing it. I know the back-to-school drill to a degree, but this next school year is going to be throwing some major curve balls.

First of all we are at a new house, so that’s not a bad change and it’s not even a big one because it’s just one street over from where we were, but we are still in that adjustment period.

SJ will be in Kindergarten. Her school won’t change, but to think that she is beginning the rest of her academic journey this year in an accredited program is a pretty big deal!

Z is starting 2nd grade and his school is building a new building in the back yard of their current building. The playground is gone. The grounds are constructions zone. The parking lot is rerouted. Things are going to be a little different this year for everyone at his school. The staff put on a brave face, but I sense their nervousness about the current upheaval. Oh and by the way, I haven’t met Z’s teacher yet, but he’s a dude. Yep. Z’s first Mr. teacher. I think that even includes his P.E. teacher from the previous years. Not that it matters or affects anything at all, but it’s kind of cool. I wasn’t expecting it.

J will be out of school and working full-time (Lord willing, he is still applying and doing interviews. Keep the prayers coming). So I am extremely excited to have him around at night so that we can all eat dinner together and have the slightest bit of normality as a family. Also, he is done leading worship for a church we had been working at for the past year and a half. It was a great opportunity, but we knew it was temporary and now it’s time to move on. So that’s just another aspect of this school year that will be different than last.

And finally, I will be HAVING A BABY! Yeah, so that’s the biggest transition of all.

Those are the family updates in a nutshell. There is a lot going on, but really it’s all good stuff! This is going to be a phenomenal school year. I have many plans, dreams, and schemes, but only one goal that I really want to get in writing and that is,

I want to be on time.

I used to get the kids to school on time when we lived 45 minutes away, but now both school campuses are less than 10 minutes from us and the problem is I know this. So instead of trying working my tail off to factor in getting gas, or road conditions, accidents, and other various set backs that can happen on a 45 minute drive I am like Eh, the schools only 7 minutes away so I still have two and a half minutes before we really HAVE to be out the door.

This is BAD! I know that mornings will be brutal and I have to be somewhat flexible if I don’t want to go into demonic mom mode, but at least for now I am pretty determined. Or as Jen Hatmaker says with great confidence and enthusiasm about moms like me at the beginning of the school year

“We will cheerfully volunteer for Class Moms and parties and Friday Folders. We will sign those daily reading minutes LIKE A BOSS. Our children will be at school on time for tens of days.”

Hey, it’s worth a shot.

By Natalie|2015-08-12T01:26:46+00:00August 12, 2015|Uncategorized|1 Comment

What to Expect to Pay at Yard Sales

Yard sale season is upon us. In fact, this coming weekend (August 6-9) is the annual world’s longest yard sale. The same one I participated in a couple years ago.

As someone who has hosted many yard sales and gone to hundreds I feel pretty qualified to share some of my expertise with the world.

There is no way I could fit all of my tips in at once, so let’s just start with what to expect to pay. If you are selling then this would apply to what to expect to get.

There are many different factors, and you can find countless lists online that give price ideas for specific items, but as a general rule I like to expect to pay 90% off retail value.

I know it sounds crazy (especially to the person selling) but I have kept this rule of thumb for years and I always use it as a gauge when I am deciding whether or not I should jump on something.

Remember this is just a rough reference point to get you started. There are many things to keep in mind when using the 90% off rule whether buying or selling.

1. Some stuff will actually go for less

For example last weekend I got this old Little Tikes Picnic table for $2. If I bought one new it would be at least $50. However, this one is like 20+ years old and needs some TLC so it was a steal. I have pinned refurbishing ideas that I really hope to implement, but even if I threw it out tomorrow we have gotten our $2 worth out of it already for sure!

Some other examples maybe some jewelry that was once worth $35 is only going to sell for $1. Or a couch that was $800, but has been through the ringer and no one is going to pay more than $35 for it now.

It depends on the condition, age, and popularity.

2. Some stuff will go for more

On the contrary you can certainly ask or pay more than 90% off. A couple days ago I found an Ikea canopy like this one.

I had just been looking at the ones at the store and wanting it for the girls room so I know they retail for $20. The asking price was $5 and I jumped on it. I wasn’t thinking that I was tied down to the 90% off rule. I felt it was fair deal.

For all you sellers please keep in mind that yard sale clientele are looking for BARGAINS. If you have something valuable that you don’t want to give away for pennies you can always post it on Craig’s List or Ebay. That’s when you’ll get buyers looking for your specific item and they will pay more.

3. Items are often priced by category and not original value

For example books 50 cents, clothes $1, DVDs $2. You can’t get nitpicky about individually pricing everything. You can also usually pay less if you buy more. I call it bundling because that’s what they say on American Picker’s and it doesn’t get anymore pro than that right? I got all of these pajamas for $5 so it ended up being like 30 cents per set.

There were some really cute all matching PJ’s which I split between my daughter and niece. SCORE!

I actually don’t enjoy haggling. My personality is more likely to just skip something altogether rather than negotiate. ALTHOUGH, if I am really knowledgable about a product or the market prices in that area I am sometimes confident enough to do so. Knowing the 90% off rule has helped me a lot because even though I can’t stress enough that it’s a really rough estimate, it helps me stay focused and have a plan as I shop.

For example, this weekend I found some really ugly stained stackable lawn chairs (which we really need now that we have a yard) and I thought I could probably clean them up and spray paint them.

The lady wanted $3 a piece. I wanted $1 a piece and that’s what I ended up walking away with. She actually begged me to take them. I think we both felt good about the end results. The chairs are worth about $10 a pop in perfect condition, but they are badly stained so I am going to have to invest some time and money into them and she was probably going to end up throwing them in the garbage.

The point to this whole post is very simple. The baseline price for most items at garage sales is 10% (90% off) what it would retail for brand new in the store. I just loooove yard sales and they usually last through part of October in my area so I look forward to a couple more months of dirt cheap goodies.

Are you a yard sale junkie? I’d love to hear your tips!

By Natalie|2015-08-03T13:27:28+00:00August 3, 2015|Frugal Living, Uncategorized|11 Comments

The Importance of Good Flooring

While this post is sponsored by GoHaus, all opinions are my own (as always).

Whether you are building a home, remodeling one, or even in our case renting, choosing the right flooring is critical.

Not only does it add to the character of your home and play an important role in the design aspect, it also serves a very practical purpose in the functionality of your abode.

When we were remodeling our home I didn’t have children yet and there were so many things I never took into consideration like cleaning up catapulted meatballs or having the floor second as a landing pad for a child learning to walk. Will juice stain it? Will fleas live in it? Will it withstand hours of the families “Just Dance” championship? There is a lot to take into consideration.

As I mentioned before we recently moved into a new rental property and while I am thrilled with the hardwood flooring that is throughout most of the house, there are other parts of our new place (like the basement and kitchen) where the flooring is lacking. I LOVE this piece from www.GoHaus.com called “Install the Right Floors for Every Room” because it goes beyond the asthetics and really walks you through how the floors will be treated in each area and what kind of floor is ideal for that particular space. I have gotten so much inspiration from this website and J and I are getting pumped about tackling some projects in our new place. I know it might not seem like there is much leeway with home renovations when you are renting, and truthfully it does put serious limitations on just how much you can customize, but where there is a will there is a way!

In our last rental property we were able to successfully install and remove plank flooring from our apartment and the results where so successful we are 100% ready to try this approach again. In fact, I have had a lot of people ask how the preexisting floor underneath looked after years of having our temporary floor over it. At the time I couldn’t answer that question because we hadn’t moved yet, but now I can say with certainty that the flooring underneath was preserved the whole time. I even have a time lapse video of the floor removal that I will be sharing tomorrow and you can see for yourself.

All of that to say that even renters can have some options when it comes to flooring projects and as a bonus you can take the floor with you when you move! This method of installation is called a floating floor because it does not have to be glued, stapled or nailed down to the subfloor or underlayment. The flooring simply stays in place using a click plank flooring which is what we did and plan to do again. For a detailed tutorial of how to install a click floor check out gohaus.com.

I’ll be sharing more about the outcome of our apartment tomorrow and I’m definitely looking forward to showing you how the floor installations go at our new place. The right floor can make a room look bigger, feel warmer, and welcome you home from the moment you step foot in the door. I encourage you to go check out GoHaus for inspiration, tips, and advice on all things flooring.

So GO! Be inspired and start that flooring project you’ve been dreaming up. You know you have been wanting a change. Why not start from the ground up?

By Natalie|2015-07-29T01:20:22+00:00July 29, 2015|Uncategorized|12 Comments

Home Improvements

If you asked me what my blog was about I would say motherhood, family, crafts, homemaking, faith, natural living, frugality etc.

Keeping that in mind what do you think my all time most popular post is?

A Very Veggie Birthday?

Heart Art?

Oh Be Careful Little Mamas What You Pin?

Nope. Nothing about crafts or motherhood. Those are some of the runner ups, but the Messy Mom Blog post with the most views (by a landslide) is…

How We Put Hardwood Over Carpet

Yes. Hundreds of people come to this site everyday not to see cute pics of my kids or find out tips for natural birth. They have come to read about home improvement. The How to Install Hardwood Over Carpet does not only hold the record for all time hits, but on any given day it is usually the most viewed post even when I have something new that is somewhat of a hit.

I am not bitter about this at all, but I am a little jealous of my husband who I hope starts his own blog someday when he has time. Because even though I wrote that post, it’s really all him.

He is the mastermind behind it and not only do people want to know more about our flooring projects they want to know where or how to make the furniture that he comes up with! Like the coffee table that can slide under the entertainment center.

My Lots of Hope in a Little Home is definitely the most successful series I have ever published and a lot of it also has to do with J’s genius. He has a knack when it comes to taking something that looks kind of hopeless and turning into greatness. It’s okay for me to brag on the hubs for a bit right?

J has renovated a house, a coffee shop, an apartment (which were all temporary upgrades since it’s a rental. More on that later), and now he is working on getting us settled into another rental property. In order to get geared up for this next big undertaking I want to take some time to look back at some of the work he’s done and also reveal some of the outcomes of those home improvement projects. I know I am not a remodel blog, nor do I want to be, but it’s been a big part of our marriage up to this point and I do love to save money by reusing, reinventing, repurposing, and remodeling. So that’s what I plan to write about this week. I’ll be picking J’s brain and diving deeper into some of the messy details of just a few of our greatest Home Improvement projects. Stay tuned.

By Natalie|2015-07-27T00:40:06+00:00July 27, 2015|Frugal Living, My Life, Projects, Uncategorized|1 Comment

The Roll Over Car Accident

I just recently read the book “The Vow” by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter.

It’s a nonfiction book and there is a movie based off of the same story, but I wouldn’t bother with the movie because it’s NOTHING like the true story. The Carpenter’s story is such an amazing declaration or what love and commitment is really all about. The authors do not shy away from proclaiming the gospel page after page and their detailed account is incredible. The couple was married for just 2 months when they were in a tragic car accident that nearly killed them. Their lives were spared, but Kricket’s memory was not. She didn’t remember her husband at all and the rehabilitation and emotional challenges that followed were almost painful to read, but <spoiler alert> it has a happy ending.

This got me thinking about the time I was in a horrific car wreck.

Some of this will be a repost from what I shared 7 years ago, but I think the story bears repeating because not only is it a testimony of God’s provision, it is also a reminder to wear a seat belt and have infants properly restrained in a car seat while on the road.

It was March of 2008. I was in Kentucky with my 6 month old (Z) visiting family. It was time to head back home to Dallas where my husband was waiting for us. My mom drove us to the airport and while we were riding along on the highway going about 70 MPH the traffic ahead began to stop. My mom hit the brakes in order to avoid a collision and the car started to swerve, first to the left then to the right and we headed off road toward a ditch.

In that moment I honestly never thought I am going to die! I just saw the car vearing off road in the grass and thought Oh No, this is bad and by bad I just figured we would come to an abrupt stop and that we’d be late and miss our flight. Of course all these thoughts happened in a matter of seconds.

Next thing I knew the airbag and a bunch of dirt came towards me. Then I woke up just moments later with grass, glass, dirt, and debri everywhere. It was as if the car was a shovel digging up the earth. I didn’t immediately realized the severity of the wreck. All I could think about was my baby boy in the back seat. I literally screamed at the top of my lungs like you see in the movies “OH GOD! MY SON! SAVE MY BABY! JESUS CHRIST HE HAS TO BE OKAY! My window had been busted out so I jumped through it and ran to the back of the car screaming. I had completely LOST it.

I tried to get him out through the window, but the car seat was too heavy for me in my condition and the door was smashed shut. My mom got out and was able to reach him from her side. She immediately assured me that he was fine. She went from looking at my 6 months old who didn’t even seem phased to looking up at me from the other side of the car. Her face was an expression of shock and horror. With tears in her eyes she said “but Natalie you are not”. I had a nasty head injury. At that moment I felt light headed and collapsed on the ground and just wept. Once I knew my baby was fine the motherly adrenaline drained out of my system.
My mom brought the baby over to me so that I could hold him in my arms. Some people pulled over to help and were on the phone with emergency services. I didn’t even realize that the car had rolled over until I heard someone tell the paramedics. I had hit my head on the roof of the car and had a huge knot on the right side about the size of a baseball and was bleeding in several areas. We were all 3 rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. Everyone there reminded me over and over that my baby was okay and that did help me to calm down a lot, although I was still trembling. They did all the appropriate tests and in the end all of three of us were okay.

We got another flight and were back home several days later. I had to go to the chiropractor for a few months for neck issues, but other than that the only thing I came away with from the accident were scrapes, bruises, and a big chunk of missing hair that I guess had been sliced off by the broken glass. It looked funny when it grew back in because for a while it stuck up like alfalfa. I didn’t have a smart phone to take pictures and I didn’t blog back then, so lucky for you I won’t be sharing any gruesome photos. Although I do have this picture of my mom’s car which of course was totaled.

One thing I will never forget about that terrifying day was that the whole time I was strapped to that stretcher forced to stare at the ceiling with my neck brace on the worship song “He Loves Us” by John Marc McMillan was going through my mind.

He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us… I felt those words flowing through me over and over bringing me peace in the midst of it all.

And I know that He does love us. He truly does.

By Natalie|2015-07-23T12:00:59+00:00July 23, 2015|My Life, Uncategorized|0 Comments

I Fell In Love and Married Too Young.

I was engaged 15 years ago (so I was barely 18) and I got married 3 months later.

Statistically speaking people married under the age of 25 are at a much higher risk for divorce. Low income families are too. Short engagements make your chances of success even lower.

We were all of the above and then some. Some would call our marriage a recipe for disaster, yet we’ve already beaten the odds just getting past the 10 year mark.

So how is it that we have a strong healthy marriage after 15 years even while undergoing so much struggle?

First of all it’s because we have a redeeming Savior that we rely on to get us through the hard times. “There but for the grace of God go I” is one of my all time favorite sayings.

I don’t want anything I say to be hurtful or judgmental. Marriage is SO COMPLICATED and each situation is completely different. We’ve seen many dear friends and family members walk through the pain and difficulty of seperation so I am not trying to sum up the key to marital success in under a thousand words.

What I do want to say is that I see a trend in our culture that I think is misleading. I call it the calculated marriage.

On average most people will spend a quarter of their life single. Then they spend a few years dating and being engaged to their spouse. At this point you would have MOST of your life ahead of you.

Here’s a terribly unscientific pie chart to explain what I mean.

What I see happening is that everyone (Christian or not) is putting ALL the emphasis on that tiny fraction of the pie that I have labeled courting (shown in orange).

Some suggest living together during courtship so that you really know what life is like. Others suggest a parent led courtship where the families are heavily involved. There are websites designed to match you up with your most compatible partner. I’ve seen advice that you should stay single longer, date longer, marry someone you’ve known for a long time, be financially stable, have a college degree, get plenty of counseling, own a pet first, marry someone who has never been divorced, or I saw an article shared on Facebook yesterday that talked about the stigma of having divorced parents.

The list goes on. Don’t get me wrong, there are important factors to consider, but I am going to make an unpopular claim and say that we are putting the emphasis in the wrong place.

I believe that the reason J and I (and the many many other couples I know in the same boat) have defied the odds is because we put the work in before we even met each other and then really got our elbows dirty after we sealed the deal. So we may have rushed through the “orange” phase, but you see all that green and yellow? We have invested a lot into those years and hopefully the years to come.

We were taught to believe that marriage takes work and divorce is not an option. We were working on our relationships with the Lord while we were single (and therefore working on what it takes to have a successful marriage). We have had to fight for our marriage especially in those first 5 years! I’m glad we had no way out in those dark moments because now I get to see all the wonderful things we would have missed!

Let me use an analogy. Let’s say there is a young woman that dreams of having a nice car some day. She carpools and rides the bus as she diligently saves up for her dream car. Her focus and motivation is getting the perfect car. She believes that if she does all the research and gets a car that has great gas milage, high safety ratings, a history of longevity, and luxurious amenities then she knows she will be happy.

The day comes that she finds the ONE. It’s perfect. She doesn’t rush in and buy it either. She finishes saving up and pays CASH! It sounds like the epitome of self discipline and responsibility.

The problem is, she goes to get the car without a drivers license! She assumed she would be able to learn to drive once she had a car to practice with.

To make matters worse she doesn’t keep up with the maintence on the car. The car she worked so hard to get is banged up and run down fast because she doesn’t know how to drive it or take care of issues when they arise. She was completely focused on the vehicle and her checklist, but put little thought into what it really means to drive or take ownership.

The point I am trying to make is that while the vehicle and the purchase is important it’s not even the most important part. Of course there are things you can do to make wise choices while you date or are engaged. For starters the Bible talks about being equally yoked and that’s HUGE, but it’s only a part of the equation. You have to learn about commitment and choose covenant everyday in every aspect of life. Then when you are married you implement what you’ve learned. You walk it out. It takes two and that’s the hard part, but it’s so rewarding.

There are some people that operate with caution by nature and if you want to get a license, save up for the perfect car, AND take good care of it too then that’s great. My concern is for those that think the calculated marriage is going to solve the divorce epidemic.

Marriage is a big decision that should not be taken lightly, but deep down I still stubbornly believe that some of the best things in life are uncalculated.

By Natalie|2021-11-04T11:21:27+00:00July 21, 2015|Marriage, Uncategorized|7 Comments

Real Life in a Small Space

I have had such an overwhelming response to the “Small Space Living for Big Families“. It has been awesome! I have had the opportunity to connect with so many other families from ALL OVER who are also making the most out of living with less. The Facebook comments have been… diverse. Most of them are extremely positive, but I did get some feedback from skeptics because all of the photos I shared were of the apartment empty. They couldn’t imagine what “real life” in 800 square feet with three small children would actually look like. For most people the concept is a nightmare.

Just to be clear, if you can afford and manage a large or even average home that’s fantastic. It’s a personal choice. Some people do it out of conviction, for us it’s necessity. Either way the idea is to find satisfaction despite what our culture says we must have. Our children don’t have to live a solemn life of deprivation, just because they don’t have their own bedroom and playroom.

For those that follow my blog, I post pictures of my family in our apartment all the time so you know we are real people and you’ve seen most of this before. For everyone else I have gone through some old photos that show how we manage year round in less than 800 square feet. Get ready for an overwhelming amount of snapshots.

We’ll start with January.

Nerf darts. I did a whole post about this and it’s even been featured on other blogs.

We definitely go sledding and stuff, but the kids can spend hours out in this little patio throwing snowballs at the sliding door and building snowmen in the winter. It’s basically turns into a giant sandbox when it snows which means I get stay warm behind the glass!

Here is a pic of the kids filling out their class Valentine’s.

My daughter’s birthday is in March and I wrote two posts about how we had the ultimate tea party for her birthday.

The kid’s share a room for now and as you can see they consider it “Fun Land”

This is when Ezie was still in a crib and they didn’t have bunk beds yet.

and this isn’t the best pic, but it’s the new setup. The swing chair is from Ikea. There is a small trampoline in the other end of the room. There is a toy box and a book shelf hanging on the wall with tons and tons of books. They share a closet too.

Here is Z is posing in front of the apartment with his end of the year school project.

Fun with food.

Our one little bathroom seconds as a salon.

Bubbles on the patio is always a great choice for summer.

The guys having fun making race cars and a track out of paper.

Living on the third floor of an apartment means lots of stairs everyday.

Another successful birthday party. This one was camping theme! Check out the whole post with all the details here.

Floor puzzle

Dancing and dress up time

Checking herself out in the master bedroom

Building a model car with dad

Building a pinewood derby car with dad

Winning a trophy for pinewood derby! The suitcase is significant because my dad came in for the event and he spent the night. We have had many guest sleepover on multiple occasions!

More playtime

Crafts

We are always out of town with family for Christmas so we don’t do any big decorations, but we do Truth in the Tinsel and some other fun traditions.

Our one piece of furniture to sit on.

Many, many meals have been made in this tiny kitchen.

We love playing cards and board games.

Reading time!

They don’t usually sleep in our bed, but there are mornings we wake up like this!

The truth is we aren’t home that much. Thanks to generous gifts we have had annual memberships to the nature center, the sports and fitness club, and the science museum. We also frequent parks and libraries, along with play dates and road trips. So I am not trying to imply that we just love being cooped up together in our small apartment all the time. What I am trying to prove with this post is that we are a REAL family that has a lot of fun and shared memories using every last inch of our little space.

I feel like God has brought us to this place for a reason. We’ve learned and gained so much from this season of our lives. If I could change the past and give my children a bigger home and a more luxurious or glamorous lifestyle I wouldn’t do it. My dream house wish list is longer than my weekly grocery list, so don’t get me wrong I am a big fan of amenities, but for now it’s the simple life and I SIMPLY wouldn’t have it any other way.

By Natalie|2022-03-16T14:45:46+00:00July 1, 2015|Family, Frugal Living, Lifestyle, Simple Living, Uncategorized|11 Comments

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My Life, Uncategorized

This is Me

I remember when I was 22. It feels ridiculously too recent. Surely 10 years have not flown by! It’s just not possible. I am still as youthful, relevant, and spunky as ever right? Sometimes I feel that way. Other days my mortality and decay is spreading like a crack on a windshield. In fact, I feel like I remember the moment when the metaphorical rock hit my windshield.

I was 29 and all kinds of major life changing events were happening. I mean MAJOR. The year I turned 30 was the most stressful year of my life. It was like driving through a hail storm and then… CRACK! Suddenly I noticed a wrinkle which slowly became more wrinkles, some saggy skin, strange hairs, and grey hairs. I analyze every detail as though the world is watching and the headlines in tomorrow’s newspaper will be announcing that Natalie Busch is old.

Then I sit behind a 90 year old woman in church who is hunched over so badly her face is pointed to the ground and she is forced to strain her neck to keep from staring at her feet. Her hands are curled up tightly in her lap. Her skin is soft and translucent as if it is fading into oblivion. She is wheeled into the sanctuary every Sunday where she praises the Lord with all that is left in her. As her body turns inward into itself her soul turns upward and outward. She is so peaceful. In the moments that I observe and admire her I realize how silly I have been for thinking that at 32 years of age I am old!

Tomorrow is my birthday and it has finally occurred to me that if I can’t be content now, then I never will.

I spent far too many years wounded and insecure. I used to hate myself. I don’t know if you would say I had an eating disorder. If I did I wasn’t very good at it because the more I hated my body the more weight I gained. I definitely had body image issues though. I would do crash diets left and right. I tried every kind of exercise regimen under the sun and I even reverted to pills. When I didn’t see the results I was looking for I would binge and eat in secret. I was truly depressed. It wasn’t just a little slump. It was the pit of despair. I felt hideous and unwanted.

10 years ago I was so desperate to change, I remember coming up with a slogan around my birthday. It was “A Better Me at 23”. Mind you, this didn’t mean a more selfless me, or a more spirit led me. No, that would be great if that was what I meant by better, but the reality was it was another big diet plan. This called for another round of “Before” photos. I was determined that my 23rd year would be the year I would change! And did I?

No. I did not, because my heart and my mindset stayed the same and I refused to address what was going on inside of me.

I was a server at Macaroni Grill at the time and one day my manager came up to me and said “These guys asked for our prettiest waitress and I want to hurry up and get that two top bussed so I can put them in your section. You’re okay with one more table?” He was dead serious. The sad thing is I wasn’t flattered. I didn’t flip my hair and think Oh boy, big tippers. Right this way gentlemen. I wasn’t disgusted and thinking I am not waiting on those sexists morons. What do they think this is Hooters?

No. I didn’t think any of that. I thought Oh no. They are going to be disappointed. They wanted to have the prettiest waitress and all they get is me.

I have never told anyone that story before so this takes a lot for me to admit. It’s embarrassing and sad. Everything about that story is what is wrong with our women in our society today 1.) That I would think that I owed these men something as a woman and 2.) That who I was wasn’t enough.

I have no idea what those men’s intentions were. They were elderly business men and honestly I think they were just being goofy and playful. This isn’t about the men. The point is that I had bought into the lies about who I really am!

The Lord has delivered me from so much since then. I can’t even begin to express how much freedom I have experienced in the past ten years. I still struggle though. I think most women do. That insecurity will rear it’s ugly head like a bottle of whiskey calling out to an alcoholic. Having the physical evidence of aging has not been easy for me. It makes me want to revert back to that depressed lost 22 year old that hated how she looked and worked hard to change her outward appearance, but I know better now. In my own strength I am definitely weak, but through Christ I am whole. And although it might sound cliche like a pop song or Dove commercial, I am beautiful just as I am.

It’s been Ten years since I made the “better me at 23” declaration. I’ll be 33 tomorrow and this year I have a new slogan.

It’s, “This is me at 33”.

This. Is. Me.

By Natalie|2025-06-27T13:59:36+00:00June 26, 2015|My Life, Uncategorized|16 Comments

Living in a Small Space

I’m over at The Humbled Homemaker today talking about how our family of 5 lives in less than 800 square feet. It’s a very brief summery of the 31 day series that I did in 2013 “Lots of Hope in a Little Home”. I apologize to all of the people that have clicked over to that page and gotten nowhere through the links!!!

I am still work out dozens of little technical issues from when I moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress last month, one of which is the fact that the links didn’t transfer. I just now finally corrected it! So for those that are interested in a lot more details about how we have made small space living work for us then you can get to all of the posts through the index page found her e (or the little button on my sidebar).

Thanks to all of the new followers and friends that have ended up here through the guest post. I do hope more of you will introduce yourself, I would love to connect!

Also, a big thank you to Erin from the Humbled Homemaker for giving me this opportunity. If you haven’t already heard of her blog then you should definitely see what hundreds of thousands people are raving about.

When I discovered The Humbled Homemaker via a podcast that I listen to (How They Blog) I felt like I was listening to a long lost friend share her story. Her blog is about motherhood, family life, healthy eating, frugality, ministry, and natural living. Sounds a lot like what I like to blog about! Because we had so much in common I thought I would pitch a guest post that her readers might enjoy and much to my surprise and delight she responded right away.

So check out my post about “Small Space Living for Big Families”