Welcome to my weekly post I share a peek into our lives, talk about things I’m loving, share links to interesting articles or helpful ideas I’ve collected throughout the past week, and just talk about whatever is on my heart! ?
(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)
Silas’ flag football team made it into the championship game!
And their team ended up winning. He was THRILLED, as I’m sure you can imagine!
I made some yummy food this week, including Baked Oatmeal.
Which Silas and Jesse were especially excited about since they LOVE this breakfast!
And I also made Crinkle Fries.
I also went to ALDI for the first time in a long time!
I got a GREAT deal on butter.
I made a big batch of Southwest Rollups.
And I filled up the freezer some more!
Silas helped me organize underneath the bathroom cupboard — something I’ve been meaning to do ever since we moved!
We bought some organizational shelves on Amazon…
…Took everything out from under the sink…
And then re-organized it. It makes me so happy to see it all organized now!
A few years ago, the thought of having teenagers scared and overwhelmed me. But you guys, I’m *loving* this year as the mom of a teen.
Kathrynne asked if she could take me out to dinner for her Mother’s Day gift to me (her treat). We decided to go to Blue Coast Burrito — a restaurant we had never been to and had been wanting to try.
We had so much fun together. Laughing, trying out the different salsas, splitting a HUGE burrito, and just talking about life.
I love spending time with this girl and I love that she wants to spend time with me! She wants to talk to me about what she’s struggling with. She wants me to get to know her friends. And she cares about what’s going on in my life, too.
Instead of dreading what’s to come, I feel like the best is yet to come! ❤️
It’s so easy to get frustrated when things aren’t growing or moving or progressing as quickly as we’d like.
We’re not saving money as fast as we’d hoped. We’re not able to pay off debt as aggressively as we’d hoped. Our business isn’t taking off at the pace we had dreamed it would.
Life is full of setbacks, interruptions, and unexpected roadblocks. But just because we aren’t moving along as rapidly as we’d wanted to doesn’t mean we aren’t making progress.
Sometimes, the greatest growth happens in the seasons of waiting. Oftentimes, my most valuable lessons have come as a result of those unexpected roadblocks.
Focus on the progress you are making — even if it feels microscopic. Moving forward — even at a snail’s pace — is still moving forward!
Thank you to @thelatestkate for this image!
2018 Goals Update
Personal Goals
1. Read 100 non-self-help books that will build me up/encourage me/inspire me/recharge me. (Fiction/story-driven/biographies/inspirational living books/devotionals.) See the list of 44 books I plan to read this year.
**Progress: 22 books read so far this year
2. Read through the entire Bible.
**Progress: I’m using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan and am all caught up— yay!
3. Write one handwritten note to someone every week.
**Progress: 25 notes written so far this year
4. Run 500 miles.
**Progress: 178 miles run so far
Marriage Goal
5. Go on an overnight trip with Jesse without the kids.Jesse and I went to NYC together in January.Family Goals
6. Read 10 books aloud with the kids.
**Progress: I’ve finished one book so far.
7. Take the kids to South Africa.
**Progress: We bought our tickets!
8. Go on a family road trip.
**Progress: We’ve been researching and planning for some road trips we want to take this summer. Stay tuned!
Financial Goals
9. Save up to pay cash to finish off an office for me and workout room for Jesse and me in the basement in our new house.
**Progress: We started finishing out the workout room this past week.
10. Replenish our Emergency Fund (we dipped into it to replace my car when it got totaled because of the carpet beetle infestation.)
Business Goals
11. Increase our gross income from the business by 8%.
12. Launch 5 new courses.**Progress: We launched 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched in January, Content Creation 101 in February, 4-Week Blog Coaching Program in March, Email List Setup 101 in March, and Make Over Your Mornings LIVE in April.
Links You Should Check Out
- For those of you who have asked more about our Library, I shared more about it here.
- And here are 5 Easy Ways to Save as a New Mom.
- If you missed it, here was our $70 Menu Plan for This Week.
Janell says
I know you read a lot. Could you recommend a “God loves me, get out of this low place in my life” book? You know, something to give me a lift. Thanks.
Crystal Paine says
Hmm, I think that maybe something more than a book would be helpful? Do you have any friends in your life that you could be really honest with as to where you’re at in life? That would be what I would recommend first. They can give you some wise advice as to whether you might need to see a doctor or counselor or something.
A book I just recently finished that might also encourage you is this one: https://amzn.to/2Lkmt7F
Janell says
Ughh, I changed the format to paperback and did not notice it said “study guide”. Now I have to re-order. If my Bible study group decides to do this book I already have it.
Susan says
Could you tell me what tool did you used to make your crinkle fries look crinkled? Thanks!
Crystal Paine says
Here you go: https://amzn.to/2IzIaPC
Susan says
Just bought it! Thank you!
Triantafyllenia says
Crystal could you put us a link to the organizational shelves from Amazon? They look amazing!
Crystal Paine says
Here you go: https://amzn.to/2GDg302
Guest says
I so appreciate when women share positives about the teenage years. Society seems to want to encourage the “teen years are awful” message but my mom said she loved my teen years (30 years ago!) and I see many wonderful teens who have close relationships with their parents. So thank you!
Air Control is my favorite hairspray EVER! I like my hair to move but need a little bit of help and that hairspray is just right!
Crystal Paine says
It’s my FAVE hairspray, too!
Stacey says
Thank you for sharing… I went from working as a full-time teacher for the last 20 years to being home this school year. I have been home-schooling my visually impaired child and my daughter started middle school. My children 12 (soon to be 13), and 14 said they never want me to go back to work because they actually have time to talk to me and I am more “here”. Boy.. this hurt at first but then I realized I was running the rat race for so long just getting by and praying the day of relief would come. What a difference I have seen in my children. I feel blessed that God has provided for our family this year and pray he continues to provide until I have to go back in another year (in order to keep my tenure). I never realized how much my kids were going to need me at this age. Such an emotional time for them in their early teens.
Crystal Paine says
This is beautiful! Thank you for sharing!