Maggie Whitley Designs

joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith & simple living

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January 19, 2020 · Leave a Comment

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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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recent posts:

On writing regular letters. January 19, 2021
The books I hope to read this year. January 12, 2021
Merry Christmas! Plus, adding a little warmth to my home. December 21, 2020
Life around here! December 15, 2020
10 “field trips” ideas for your homeschoolers (Detroit & beyond) September 2, 2020
7 books we are reading aloud this year August 19, 2020
A fall-themed homeschool resource! August 12, 2020
Studying the Bible July 30, 2020

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JOY in motherhood & homemaking 🧺🌿💓✨

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. 📖✨🤍

We’re driving home in the dark of the winter nig

We’re driving home in the dark of the winter night after a beautiful, hard & intentional couple of days working on a project ✨I’m committed to work on this this year; 2021 is already great. 🤩🤐😘

Ohhhhh, this year. Ohhhh, specifically these last

Ohhhhh, this year. Ohhhh, specifically these last 3 months. I’ve had more anxiety than ever, and it’s seriously putting me on my knees in prayer —almost daily. My mind and chest aren’t unfamiliar of the attacks, but the grip it’s had on me since September has been so strong. The attacks are painful. But... Worship music has been one of my main healers. 🎶I know God is close to the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18), and singing this truth really soothes me. Social media has been a big trigger for anxiety for me. I don’t want to “miss out on my life”, which is why I’ve hugely stepped back in posting and scrolling.

One song in particular comes to mind:

“We step into Freedom.
We step into all you have for us.” -Bethel Music & Jenn Johnson

There IS freedom from the anxiety attacks. For me: music, scripture, eating healthy, vitamins, rest, crying, prayer, honesty — these things help tremendously. Also getting up and MOVING when my anxiety sits on me like a boulder, that helps too. 🖤

Another soothing truth is from the end of Psalm 34:19 — “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the lord delivers him of them all.”

Seriously. Thank you lord. Thank you for music and for rest and for the words in your book. I need them. I need You. I need Your freedom. I trust you’ll deliver me.

Nearing the end of my “20 letters in 20 weeks”

Nearing the end of my “20 letters in 20 weeks” challenge. Many stayed in Michigan, but mail was also sent to Colorado, Texas, California, Indiana, and Arizona. I loved this personal exercise! I have just one question: who will be my pen-pal for 2021? ✏️💌

We piled in the car this morning for a nature walk

We piled in the car this morning for a nature walk. When I finally walked out and sat down, they shouted, “THE QUEEN! EVERYBODY CHEER FOR THE QUEEN!” (yes, they really call me that...☺️💓☺️)

I brought our basket of mittens and gloves and hats. The older two brought RC cars. Bauer the dog came along; we had a wonderful time on our walk.

The afternoon was harder, but overall the day was sandwiched between two really sweet time slots.

Bedtime tonight was wonderful. We read two chapters from our read aloud and Max lost another baby tooth.

This job I have, it really wears me down AND fills me up. It’s a constant take away AND fill up. Even when the moments feel so fitful, I know the story is rich.

🕯🌙 Hello, sweet slumber. You’re carrying my babies away to a peaceful land. Goodnight, my children. Goodnight.

#motherhood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodissanctifying #naturewalk #michigan

There’s a woman on Instagram I check on every co

There’s a woman on Instagram I check on every couple of weeks because she is so sparkly & cheerful. She shares little pep talks, she wears fuchsia lipstick. She says, “like so, like that” when she’s explaining something. She’s a hoot. I love the joy that bursts from her eyes when she talks. In her own unique ways, her perspectives pull back the fog I often find myself in. I’m a weary mama, and her energy and gentleness feels nurturing, though I haven’t met her... I would love to meet her. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏼I’m inspired by the snippets of life she shares online. Thank you, Tabitha for sharing your light. 🕯💓💄🌿@iamtabithabrown

What has kept you and your home busy as of late? F

What has kept you and your home busy as of late? For us, it’s this…

The sound of Julia Robert’s calming voice is playing in the background of our playroom. Yesterday we finished another read aloud, Charlotte’s Web, so today my children are watching the movie. Knowing in-detail the lessons they are learning, along with reading books together, definitely adds to the joy of motherhood; the joy of teaching my children and being with them for so many hours each day. We experience so much together. Even when things feel chaotic at home, when I can’t call something by the correct name they still long to be near me and work alongside me. Tired has been a dear companion to me for the last seven years, but my children are gentle with their responses.

💞💬More on my blog! #maggiewhitleydotcom

It’s the season of perpetual hope. 🎄✨📖Of

It’s the season of perpetual hope. 🎄✨📖Of books that shape our minds, of anticipation, of creative projects that mar our kiddos clothing (but morph our memories into beauty). Oh right! There are cookies cooling on the counter — gotta go! ✌🏻

Keeping my hands busy (making wooden bead garland

Keeping my hands busy (making wooden bead garland for our tree; link posted to Stories) and my mind inspired (watching HGTV). I really enjoy the quiet of the evening after a full, rich day. God is so kind to give this to me today. What have you received today? 🎄💫📿

This guy is my steady; my Zack. This is a latergra

This guy is my steady; my Zack. This is a latergram from October, from one of our many fall adventures with the kids. We had so many fun day trips, I don’t even remember where this was taken 👏🏻⭐️. I’m gonna guess Cranbrook Gardens.

This morning I sat on the front porch and read my

This morning I sat on the front porch and read my book & drank coffee. The birds were with me, nearly a hundred of them. Fluttering from rooftop to treetop to hiding inside the bushes. So beautiful and calm. Mother culture... the path to joy in motherhood & homemaking.

Well kiddos, we had a great summer together! 🥳👏🏻🛴⛱🍦🤸🏼‍♀️🎨🎹🏊🏻‍♂️🧺🎠📚📺🍿🌿🌷☀️🚲

Thanks for coming along with me to the pool, nature trails, the park, hosting friends in our backyard, reading adventures, popcorn & movie night, art, planting flowers, planting a garden, bike rides, neighborhood walks, lake swimming, and supplying the ice cream truck w/ roughly $84 this summer.

I loved our time together! 🥰🧒🏼👩🏻👧🏼🧒🏻

And the great news is this: we have autumn to enjoy together, too! 👏🏻🌾🍃🍂 so thankful.

Even if you don’t have students learning at home

It’s come to my realization there’s plenty of

It’s come to my realization there’s plenty of time these days to craft a letter when I wash dishes, take my kids on a walk, or take care of our garden. All that silence, it makes my internal monologue even louder 🤣.

Many times we are out & about in the neighborhood and I think, “oh the flowers surrounding your porch are lovely!” Or, “wow” (to the elderly man) “you have such a great smile, thanks for sharing it with us!” Wouldn’t it be great to jot that down in a card and send it through the mail as well?

We are always in need of community & kind words! 🌷💬

I remember many years ago, when nearly pregnant with another baby and our personal finances were THE PITS, my best friend came over with $500 cash. Just to bless us. She also included a personal note. Of course, I’ve always known how special personal notes are, but this card really meant so much.

And so I’ve decided as the year-end nears: wouldn’t it be nice to send a letter a week for the final 20 weeks we have left in 2020. Me thinks so 🙂.

Community & kind words: I’m coming for you!

PS. wanna join me in sending 20 cards by Dec. 31?

🖤working on our school room, mid-process update

🖤working on our school room, mid-process update! this wall is inspired by @mygrandparentschair 👏🏻

I saw her feature in a recent issue of “Better Homes & Gardens” and I was all 🤩🤩over her foyer. I’m using 1/2” black masking tape (mistake-making friendly) instead of paint, also renter friendly.

Working on this project has been so good for my mental health. Doing > worrying.

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devotionals written by Maggie:

the (in)courage Devotional Bible:
Proverbs 14:1 and Lamentations 5

31 Days of Prayer for the Dreamer and Doer:
on Simplicity

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