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Maggie Whitley

joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith & simple living

You are here: Home / family / baby #2 / Life around here…

Life around here…

September 8, 2014 · 11 Comments
Filed Under: baby #2, family, for fun

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Life around here has meant…

* wearing pink lipstick to a trip to the mall with my friend Joanna and our three (almost four) children

* staying up way too late, soaking up extra hangout time with my hubby

* putting together our heirloom baby cradle. Eleven grandchildren and almost five great-grandchildren have slept in the cradle, I’m so grateful my grandfather built this for us. Here are photos of the cradle in our first nursery for Maxwell

* rearranging furniture in the nursery & living room. With Baby #2 arriving later next month (fingers crossed for an on-time delivery) we needed to make a little more room in our small space

* feeling extra, extra warm lately. I can’t tell if it’s the Los Angeles weather, the pregnancy, or a combination of both. But uhhhh, I’ve been feeling way hot these days #thumbsdown

* weekly trips to the library. Maxwell L O V E S to read and it’s definitely one of my favorite shared activities with him

* booking a few blog-related upcoming opportunities for handmade shop owners. Today is the last day to pre-book for our Holiday Gift Guide ($99 verses $125), click that link for more information on the HGG or our October Baby Bundle giveaway :)

* thinking about my hair. You guys, it grows so so fast these days. My roots are a mess and so I’ve been searching Pinterest for a good mix of lowlights & highlights so my regrowth isn’t so intense. Maybe once this baby comes out things will settle down? In the meantime the hormones are getting the best of me and I admit, I’ve been crying over my hair lately. I’m really loving the caramel look here. Thoughts?

* I’ve ordered new fabric so I can totally re-make the seat back & cushion of our rocking chair. It’s going to be in our living room for a couple of months, which will be perfect since we’ll have family staying with us for 5 weeks once Baby #2 is born (hello, extra seating). And I’m getting SO excited to work on a personal sewing project.

* embroidering once again. Think pink fern meets charcoal gray felt ;)

How have you been? How was your weekend? I chatted with my girlfriends over the weekend for some new easy but healthy dinner recipes and it was so helpful! I’m ready to conquer this week, which is such a great feeling. xoxo

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11 Comments
Filed Under: baby #2, family, for fun

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Comments

  1. Menekse says

    September 8, 2014 at 8:29 am

    Ah you should totally go with the caramel, and have less intense, subtle highlights that start a little further down your hair strands so that growth isn’t so noticeable?

    It’s so easy to get distracted by business sewing, but it kinda makes the time spent on home projects so much more enjoyable :) x

    Reply
    • Maggie Whitley says

      September 8, 2014 at 9:11 am

      You’re a genius. Thank you for the color suggestion… you must have had your morning coffee already ;)

      Reply
      • Menekse says

        September 11, 2014 at 7:28 am

        Haha, glad I could be helpful. Looking forward to seeing the finished results. You’re beautiful whatever your hair colour! :)

        Reply
  2. Jen says

    September 8, 2014 at 8:36 am

    Well that embroidery piece sounds gorgeous, can’t wait to see a pic! I have a super easy dinner recipe that we all love, salsa chicken. Cover bottom of the crockpot with water, place chicken in (we usually do 3 breasts), sprinkle taco seasoning on that, pour a jar of salsa on top, cook on low 8 hours. Then we shred the chicken, add a little sour cream and black beans. Serve over tortilla chips or rice. Yum!

    Reply
    • Maggie Whitley says

      September 8, 2014 at 9:06 am

      OH salsa chicken, yes! I have a recipe for that but it’s a little bit of mustard and then a jar of salsa. Never thought of the taco seasoning, but I bet that’s delish! Have you heard of cranberry chicken? A packet of lipton dry onion mix & canned cranberries (with the berries, not just the sauce). Mix those and either bake or crockpot cook it ;D

      Reply
      • Jen says

        September 8, 2014 at 5:26 pm

        I have never heard of that one, it sounds delish though!

        Reply
  3. katy says

    September 8, 2014 at 9:17 am

    Ah yes, go caramel! I have that as my lightest color + the darker underneath.

    I’ve heard the salsa chicken a few time lately, my neighbor makes it a lot! I was on Pinterest last night pinning meals for the week, right out a grocery list all while my stomach was growling. Which is good, I have my meals all planned out for the week! I went shopping at 7:30am after the kids hopped on the bus at 7. Hello Morning!

    Reply
  4. Haley says

    September 8, 2014 at 9:26 am

    You are looking great Momma! I love that pin you shared and I think you would look great with that hair color.

    When you say you have family staying with you for 5 weeks, do you mean in your apt?! Or they’ll just be in town to help you out?

    Reply
    • Maggie Whitley says

      September 8, 2014 at 9:44 am

      Nope, they’ll be in our apartment sharing a bedroom with Max.

      Reply
  5. Rebecca says

    September 12, 2014 at 8:00 am

    Please share a tutorial or the tutorial you use for redoing your rocking chair cushions. :) I need to do mine too!

    Reply
    • Maggie Whitley says

      September 12, 2014 at 8:24 am

      I’ll likely use the current seat cushion as a template for the new cushion I make (with new foam). For the seat back cushion I’ll likely wing that too — but maybe I’ll find a tutorial to help out. I’ll take notes for sure ;)

      Reply

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ABOUT MAGGIE WHITLEY DESIGNS:
Maggie Whitley weaves her writings around joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith, and simple living. She homeschools her children, enjoys a quiet room while reading, and roars with laughter over the challenges & delights of motherhood. Maggie and her husband, along with their four young children, live in metro-Detroit. She has been writing online since 2008.
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maggiewhitley

JOY in motherhood & homemaking 🧺🌿💓✨

maggiewhitley
Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect o Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect on the moments I’ve felt my mind spinning, my emotions swirly, it’s almost always when I’m not feasting on the word of God. Not that reading scripture is the cure for anxiety —no! Rather, it’s hard to worry when we’re worshipping.
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#womenintheword #wearethehomemakers #scripture #dailyintheword #titus2woman #healthylifestyle #mentalhealth #anxiety #anxietyawareness
Current backyard status: stunning in wonder ❄️ Current backyard status: stunning in wonder ❄️✨
A quiet night: the furnace is running, the tea is A quiet night: the furnace is running, the tea is hot, and the whisper of a page turning. ♨️☕️📖 // We are breaking from school this week, my plan is to read a lot, walk a lot, and rest a lot. How about you?

#mothersofinstagram #tea #winterreading #hygge
I fought every internal comment I could think of a I fought every internal comment I could think of and took my kiddos for a looooong walk today before dinner. ❄️✨ There’s just so much work required to raise children! I’m feeling like a tired lady. But sunshine & fresh air are good companions to keep around. 

We came home and I made “the best dinner ever”. Max specifically announced, “it’s so great you’re launching new meals to the world”. LOL— kids! 🤣👏🏻💓
How about a little Wednesday night introduction? 😘Social media sure has changed over the years and we don’t always SEE who we’re following or remember WHY we’re following certain accounts. 

So, hello! As you can gather, my name is Maggie ;) 

I started writing online (almost 13 years ago) to share the handmade products I was sewing. My shop was called Gussy Sews. ✂️👛I love the community that has grown from sewing & sharing online.

Let’s FFW to today: Zack and I live in Michigan and have four young children (2 boys & 2 girls). I slowly left the handmade industry and walked right into homemaking, homeschooling, and encouraging women through writing. 💕📝

Motherhood has been very hard on me. (And not just because of how close in age our four children are.) It’s been hard for me because I fought for years to accept that *it’s supposed to be hard*. 

I mean, how do you effectively teach another person to know and love the Lord? Bc that’s how I think of motherhood: a calling to nurture others by studying the One who nurtures me. So I gotta make the first move: study the Bible and seek Him first. As my friend Autumn reminded me, vulnerability births transformation. 

(I’ve had to be really vulnerable!)

So, yes motherhood has fully transformed me. But even more so, Christ has fully transformed me. My list of “all that He’s done for me” is off to a beautifully long start.

Something else I want you to know about me: I stalled for years before acknowledging I have anxiety and depression. It’s hard to talk about this because of course this isn’t forever “my hardship”, but rather because acknowledging this means to heal I have to work through some really difficult things. ✨

But my friend Jesus walks alongside me. He’s already done a mighty work in my heart, including helping me process my anger in healthier ways. I’ve also adopted a heart for sisterhood, mothering, and Titus 2 mentorship.

Sometimes our greatest losses are our greatest gains? That’s what I’m clinging to!

How about you? Tell me something about yourself so I can get to know you on a deeper heart level. 🖤🖤
How do you play in the winter? // We had a really How do you play in the winter? // We had a really great time visiting family in northern Michigan. On my blog I share a few ways we played outside, plus I describe a memorable childhood game ❄️☃️. Did you play it as a kiddo?
We had gotten a bit lazy with our rhythms: screens We had gotten a bit lazy with our rhythms: screens in the morning (HGTV), playtime before lessons, and not enough quiet time after lunch. This made for a really, ummm, unenjoyable learning experience. 

But today! Today we reset the rhythm, and we have had a much happier home & time learning together. 👏🏻
Visit my stories for a quick message from ME — t Visit my stories for a quick message from ME — think outside the box in terms of how you view the definition of “motherhood” 💓😘 (also: look at my little friend, she’s sooooo snuggly)
It’s another cold, winter day. ❄️Today I hop It’s another cold, winter day. ❄️Today I hope to bundle up for another family nature walk, knowing the fresh air sweeps out any & all frustration, inviting inspiration inside. ✨That’s something we all need more of.
seriously LOL: I’ve found the secret to calming seriously LOL: I’ve found the secret to calming the Laundry Beast (as a family of 6). Who wants the inside scoop? ✔️🧺👏🏻
Another batch of “fun mail” is headed out tomo Another batch of “fun mail” is headed out tomorrow :) small celebrations like this are very life giving! PS. thinking of starting a zoom book club — I need more sisterhood in my life. 👏🏻📖
The house is quiet. The heat is on. The pages are The house is quiet. The heat is on. The pages are turning. The tea is calm. 🖤☕️🧺📖
Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his ful Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his full costume and laser blaster and of course the Buzz action figure he flys around 🌟💚💙💨someone has discovered a superhero crush! #joyinmotherhood #slowmornings #surprisedbymotherhood // Landon @ 2.5yo
Today on my blog I have a list of books I hope to Today on my blog I have a list of books I hope to read this year. Plus my reading goal for the year. And a few practicals ways I fit in reading as a mama of four young children & homeschooling them. Basically, all the good stuff ☺️💓📖 #maggiewhitleydotcom #readersofinstagram #read #readmorebooks
It was the perfect opportunity to rearrange the fu It was the perfect opportunity to rearrange the furniture as we took the tree down Tuesday midday. Def one of my fav things to do.🎄👋🏻 We made it through our first week back to school since mid-December! It was rough to begin but ended with high fives. ⭐️✏️This morning I zoomed with a mama friend and I’m impressed with the many topics we covered. Sisterhood is sooooo necessary! ☕️👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏼

Just a few cheery memories from my week! How about you?
Book reading! One of my best “Maggie” activiti Book reading! One of my best “Maggie” activities. I finished my last book moments before 2020 ended, which brought my started list to a close. Small joys add up to big joys ;)

What are you reading this year? Currently?

How many books are you planning to read? What’s your goal?

I’ll share what’s on my list for 2021 soon as I received some nice titles at Christmas. 📖✨🤍
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