family

Sunshine, soul-comforting food, sewing & my DIY story.

January 26, 2015 by Maggie Whitley 1 Comment

Our weekend wasn’t anything extraordinary but it sure was a good one. I think those are my favorite :)

Zack and I had a mini-date at home during naptime (sushi & thai tea, anyone?), we went on a long walk one afternoon, and I cooked soul-comforting meals. We napped, baked homemade chocolate chip cookies and visited my favorite thrift store in downtown Los Angeles. Maxwell (finally) kicked his cold to the curb and Natalie turned 12 weeks old. Life is blessing me, big time.

And then the crazy thing? Zack and I got tiny sunburns Sunday afternoon while at the park. It’s been over two years since we moved here and we’re still getting used to California in January.

Zack had to work a little on Saturday and while he was away I actually sewed something. (I know!) And it was amazing. Maxwell sat next to me at the kitchen table while I made a new zip pouch that serves as my wallet. And you know what else happened? He kicked me the entire time I was sewing. Ha.

I wanted a larger wallet than I had been carrying so my envelopes would fit inside (we’re back on the Dave Ramsey cash-flow plan), and this new zip is perfect! Being able to whip up something like this is a perk, for sure :) I had been wanting to sew for weeks and had made so many excuses. I finally broke this project into manageable tasks (plan out design, cut & iron, sew) and suddenly it felt super achievable.

As I tucked my babies into bed last night I felt a wave of gratefulness wash over me. The fog is lifting… I’m feeling creative again. I feel more confident raising two young children. I’m thankful for the relationship Zack and I have. Monday, we’re ready for you!

Oh, and before I forget… today is the LAST DAY to purchase The Ultimate DIY Bundle which includes 76 eBooks & eCourses. The price is fantastic — only $34.95 (with over $1,200 of content). It’s been seven years since I learned how to sew and this kind of library is exactly what encouraged me to learn the trade.

I know it’s so easy to talk ourselves out of making something because something similar already exists. But really, the truth is we need your perspective and spin and creative process.

There’s room for all of us. There’s room for my technique and there’s room for your technique. There’s room for me to sell my product and there’s room for you to sell your product. Run with your excitement and MAKE what you’ve been wishing to make :)

Remember how I learned how to sew at our kitchen table in Detroit from a pile of library books and many YouTube channels? My DIY story begins with making mistakes and ruining irons (#oops), but I always “tried and tried again”. It’s been a joy-filled journey and I’m so thankful for DIY libraries like this.

I want to remember…

January 15, 2015 by Maggie Whitley 2 Comments

– how messy (but worth it) painting with Maxwell really is ;)

– how crazy quiet the apartment feels when the white noise is turned off (and everyone’s asleep)

– how much time is wasted thinking about something verses actually doing. #inspiration

– the way Max plays hide & seek behind the living room curtains (while giggling uncontrollably)

– how I feel when Zack wraps his arms around me

– that Bauer looks like a dog baby when he sleeps

– how grateful I am for community, both in real life & online

– some of the podcasts I subscribe to: hope*ology, Dave Ramsey and Elise Gets Crafty

– that baby hair smells delicious

– how wonderful this book is (and beautiful, inspiring, easy-to-read, and life-changing)

– how freaking adorable Max is when he runs across the room (!!!)

– how BIG Natalie’s smiles are :)

– that list-making is the best way to feel accomplished

- how much joy our children bring me. The days are like small marathons but I get better at running them every week.

* * *

These posts help me to cherish and remember the fullness of mamahood. They help me to not hold back because I fear I don’t have time to “take notes”, but instead I can move forward and embrace life where we’re at TODAY through simple sharing. It’s incredibly freeing and makes my heart feel full to write these. See the rest of my “I want to remember” posts here.

My challenge for 2015: one new thing.

January 1, 2015 by Maggie Whitley 5 Comments

Instead of picking one little word to focus on for the entire year I’m doing something new by focusing on one new thing each month. I’m still figuring out mamahood (aren’t we always?) and so the best way to get back into my Maggie-ness is to tackle something new each month. I love a good challenge, and this one feels especially rewarding.

So, for January I’m choosing to work on moving forward. I’ve been spending a lot of time waiting, and it feels burdening, tiring and totally unlike me. Now that I have two babies I often find myself waiting for the next thing to happen — waiting for one of them to wake up from their nap, to be hungry, to stop whining, to burp, to leave the dog alone, and so on. And even though waiting is something that feels super unnatural, it’s something I’m constantly doing. Blah.

This month I want to move forward most specifically with my blog. I want to take more photos, challenge myself to write more, share the things that interest me — essentially, put more emphasis on living and a whole lot less on making something a long, drawn-out process. I need to stop waiting and just do it!

It’s been so good to dig down deep and put our family goals on paper. And truth be told, having a new journal has been so good for me. I hope it survives the drill ;)

I’m so glad January is here. 2015 is going to be a year of fantastic challenges and growth, and I’m pumped to be moving forward.

How about you?

Gingerbread houses, palm trees, and your interests!

December 22, 2014 by Maggie Whitley 17 Comments

Our family is preparing for a quiet Christmas at home and I feel so blessed to have two babies to share our traditions with. Buuuut, the Midwest in me is having a hard time not seeing snow on the ground. Los Angeles gives us way different weather than we’re used to, but the sunsets we get here are pretty rad. I enjoy them :)

Over the weekend we went to a gingerbread-making party and basked in the sunshine as we (read: I) ate candy and decorated the cutest little houses. Max played with his pals on the playground and Natalie slept in our arms for most of it. We also Christmas shopped for our babes and set some family goals for 2015. In the evenings at home we lit candles and listened to Max say, “light! bright!” every time he saw a candle — so cute. My mom always had candles lit and growing up I thought that was so magical.

Our weekend was packed full of family memories, a great way to start of the week!

I’ve also been spending a lot of my quiet time thinking about this blog and the content I share on it. I so enjoy writing, it just takes me a lot longer to gather my thoughts into a readable post :) #momistired. And I’ve thought of posting a reader survey for you to take, but I’m unsure. What do you think? Would a reader survey interest you? Really I’m interested in knowing more about YOU and your general interests. And also, what keeps you reading week after week? xo