1) Shopping With Kaitlynn
This girl. She turned 9 last week and chose going to the mall (+ manicures!) as her Mother-Daughter birthday date. She agonized over finding just the right pair of earrings at Claire’s and the perfect shade of lipstick at Sephora.
While she is my mini me in so many respects, in other respects we could not be more opposite — like when it comes to all things jewelry, fashion, and makeup.
I go into Claire’s and Sephora and feel so overwhelmed by all the options that I want to leave immediately. She goes into those stores and sees a world of beauty and possibility just waiting to be discovered and tried out. I love the creativity, artistry, energy, and love of beauty she brings into our home and lives.
2) Free Audiobooks From the Library
We’ve been investigating audiobook site memberships recently because our whole family has really gotten into listening to audiobooks — both separately and together (especially while driving in the car to and from swimming and skating). We were going to try out the free 3-month Audible subscription, but then we realized that we’d probably get more bang for our buck with a subscription to ChristianAudio.com.
I was sharing about this on my new daily money-saving live show on FB and a few viewers suggested we look into our local library to see if they happen to offer a free audiobook service. We were THRILLED to discover that they do and it’s SO easy to access. Plus, they have an amazing selection of audiobooks… for FREE! Score!
I started Big Magic today and am really, really enjoying it so far. I can’t wait to enjoy a lot of other titles in the coming weeks and months — both personally and as a family.
3) A Baby Picture of My Husband
It’s hard to believe that’s my husband. That little baby in the incubator, born at 27 weeks because his mom had an incompetent cervix, weighing less than two pounds… That’s the strong, resilient, energetic man I’m married to.
There are days when I get frustrated at him. I say harsh words. I have to ask forgiveness. I take him for granted.
And then I find a picture like this in our memory box and I catch my breath and remember what a miracle it is that he’s even alive!
How often I can get caught up in the tasks and to-do’s of life and take the precious people in my life for granted. And then a picture like this reminds me that all the productivity in the world is never as important as the people in my life. I want to hold them tight and love them well today.
4) Pineapple Mint Water
This week’s flavored water of choice: Pineapple Mint. So refreshing!
Aldi had pineapple for 99 cents and we have mint in our container garden, so this was an especially frugal infused water option. It’s amazing how inspired we are to drink more water when it’s all “fancy” like this!
5) Indoor Rock Climbing
This year, I’ve challenged myself to jump out of my comfort zone and try new things: weight-lifting, live video on Periscope and Facebook Live, traveling to two new countries by myself, snow-boarding, and hand-lettering… and this week I joined SnapChat (I’m crystal.paine there and I have no idea what I’m doing so you can laugh along with me as I try to figure it out! ?) and my husband and I went on a date to an indoor rock climbing place.
It was my first time to try indoor rock wall climbing and we had a lot of fun trying it out together. It was especially memorable because the A/C was out in the building and it was a really hot day… so that made the workout a little more intense. 😉
In trying these new things, here’s what I’m learning: I’m not going to love everything new I attempt, but challenging myself to get brave and just jump out and try — even when it scares me or I think I won’t like it or be good at it — has stretched me as a person and shown me that I’m stronger than I think I am.
Best of all, I’ve discovered a few things I absolutely love that I never thought I would and would have never known that I would fall in love with them had I not tried them and stuck with them for a few weeks (i.e. weight-lifting and live video).
I’ve missed out on a lot in life by sitting on the sidelines in the safe zone. I don’t want to camp out there anymore! There’s a world of excitement and thrill and color just waiting to be discovered… Right outside my comfort zone!
What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!
Emily says
My daughter is the opposite too- as well as being a mini-me (only blond instead of redhead). I think she inherited her fashion sense and love of make-up from my mother’s first cousin Ann. She was a very sophisticated lady who worked in an international law firm in downtown Manhattan. She was also made up and looked lovely -even on her off days.
Katie @ My Joy in Chaos says
We also love audiobooks for free from the library! It’s the only way I get in any “reading” these days. My kids enjoy listening while they fold laundry.
Here’s what I loved this week: http://www.myjoyinchaos.com/home/2016/7/my-weeks-joy-627-73
Virginia says
The five things I’m loving this week:
1. My baby is turning 1 year old today
2. I’ve got a lovely family I’m sooooo thankful for
3. I’m trying to get my new company and website to work and learning a lot of things on the way
4. I’m loving to have found your web site a few weeks ago. You are making me get on my feet and try to change the things in my life I’m not happy about. You are a great inspiration!
5. I’m loving my parents for taking me to English lessons as a kid so that I’m able to read you now :O)
Happy happy happy…
Crystal Paine says
Happy birthday to your baby! And thank you for your kind words!
Alison says
Five things I’m loving this week.
1. My baby. He has global delays (2.75 years old and about 1.5 in development). He makes me slow down and enjoy life where it’s at.
2. My newly clean and organized office (yep- found the floor and desk this weekend!)
3. God’s blessing inspite of the ressesion.
4. Date night out on a restaurant patio. It was free because I found $50 in an old birthday card while cleaning the office!
5. A beautiful summer.
Crystal Paine says
Yay for a free date night!!
Cheryl says
5 things I’m loving-
Celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary on Monday.
Celebrating my 45th birthday on Tuesday.
Enjoying some special treats from the gourmet bakery with the kids on my birthday.
Enjoying a relaxing weekend at home and looking forward to our vacation to the U.P.(Michigan) Tuesday.
Crystal, we also use our library, (I’m a librarian too) We have dvds checked out for the trip and I love using the ebook and audio collection too.
Crystal Paine says
Happy birthday AND anniversary!!
Keelie @Love Hope Adventure says
I love that you are rock climbing, Crystal. 😀
This week I’m loving that the kids had a good VBS and that I got a lot of work done.
I’m also thankful that I was able to talk to a friend of mine.
It’s been a good week, but also there is a lot going on that will bring us a ton of stress. I believe the Lord is just protecting us from that right this minute.
Crystal Paine says
I’m sorry that you have a lot going on that is stressful. 🙁 That hurts my heart for you.
Keelie says
Thank you friend. I sent you an email about what’s going on. Today, I feel stressed about everything. I think it’ll come and go.
Kim says
WOW, look at those defined arms. You HAVE to tell us the exercise to get arms like that!!
5 Things I’m loving this week are:
1. Finally feeling better.
2. Waking up and knowing what I have to get done today
3. Menu planning
4. Lemon pudding
5. My planner
Victoria says
Look at the muscle definition coming out in your shoulders and thighs girl! Oh and my favorite free audio book source is HOOPLA. I use it not just for audio books but also for music to listen to on my runs.
5 things I am loving.
1) An afternoon of shopping with my daughter. (Also for her birthday but she turned 14! )
2) A 16th birthday party for my son. (how are they getting so big!)
3) Finally listed our current renovation home / rental for rent.
4) The sound of the rain as I type this sitting on my covered front porch.
5) For family.
Crystal Paine says
I can’t believe I hadn’t checked out Hoopla until last week! Now I know what I’ve been missing!!! (Our library doesn’t have Hoopla, but they have Overdrive which I think is similar. It’s such an amazing resource!)
Sarah says
If you sign up for a new audible account through Swagbucks and keep your membership for three months, it ends up being a money maker! You’ll spend $1 each month for the first two months and then the normal price of $14.95 for the last month making your total spent about $17 but you’ll receive enough SB to redeem for a $25 gift card! It’s a great way to get “paid” to listen to audio books. It’s super easy to cancel your subscription too, and you get to keep any audio books you purchased. You can also restart your subscription anytime. I’ve done it several times when they offered me $.99 a month promotions. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
Thanks SO much for this tip!!
Linda says
Wow that baby picture of your husband took my breath away! I am pregnant right now and its just incredible to see how fragile the little life we mamas carry can be. So happy that he did alright and grew to be the wonderful husband and father we get to read about here on your blog. What a beautiful blessing. Thank you for sharing this!
Crystal Paine says
I’m SO grateful, as well!
Jackie says
We will have to try the indoor rock climbing! If you want another date idea, my husband and I just went paddleboarding last week, it was so fun!
Crystal Paine says
Oh! That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Elizabeth says
I love audiobooks from the library! You might see if your library has a hoopla subscription. If they do, you get a certain number of checkouts per month and any content they have is guaranteed ‘in stock.’
I’m so thankful for great library options!
Crystal Paine says
They don’t have Hoopla, but they do have Overdrive and I’m SO excited about it!