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Maggie Whitley

joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith & simple living

7 books we are reading aloud this year

August 19, 2020 · 14 Comments
Filed Under: books, homeschool

We are gearing up for another year of homeschooling. Each new season with my children becomes a cherished favorite, and I do not write that to be applauded or eye-rolled. I have loved all of the ages & stages of my children. Even the repetitive homeschool moments. Recently I read a mother’s thoughts, how mothers… [Read More]

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14 Comments
Filed Under: books, homeschool

A fall-themed homeschool resource!

August 12, 2020 · 6 Comments
Filed Under: homeschool, seasons

Many of you know I am a homeschool mama of four young kiddos, but did you know this is my THIRD year teaching? Next month I’ll be teaching 2nd grade, 1st grade, and pre-K. In preparation for another year learning at home I wanted to share a really helpful resource with you. My real life… [Read More]

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6 Comments
Filed Under: homeschool, seasons

Studying the Bible

July 30, 2020 · 6 Comments
Filed Under: Faith

If you’ve been following along, either on social media or here on my blog, you may be familiar with my early morning wake-up call. Earlier this year I started waking up around 4:30am with my husband to get in the Word, fill up our cups (literally and spiritually), and have a little bit of personal… [Read More]

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6 Comments
Filed Under: Faith

What do you consider “a good book”?

July 23, 2020 · 5 Comments
Filed Under: books

I’m curious: when you are contemplating buying a book / reading a book / or passing along a book title to a friend, what elements are needed to call it “a good book”? As a child I loved to read, and now as an adult I love to read. There are a few things that… [Read More]

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5 Comments
Filed Under: books

A tour of my houseplants + care tips

July 14, 2020 · 14 Comments
Filed Under: lifestyle, our home

Some of my strongest childhood memories involve gardening. I have very vivid images of my mom weeding her gardens, turning the soil, and planting week after week, year after year. After the days work was done, she’d clap off the soil on her gardening gloves and remove them, one finger pull at a time. Growing up,… [Read More]

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14 Comments
Filed Under: lifestyle, our home

Soap suds and long-lasting comfort

July 2, 2020 · 6 Comments
Filed Under: Faith, lifestyle

My eyes close for just a moment. I’m brought to a quiet place where the garden blooms are full outside my kitchen window. This is a slice of happiness, as my mind and body are weary. The color of the blooms are both bold and delicate, unmatched to any Crayola crayon we own. There are… [Read More]

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6 Comments
Filed Under: Faith, lifestyle

Our summer schedule with young children

June 23, 2020 · 8 Comments
Filed Under: family, lifestyle, seasons

Hooray, summer is here! I personally love this season because we can roll through the day with more simplicity than during the school year. This image of my children at the table, with my youngest Landon on top of the table, is quite an accurate image of our homeschool rhythm September through June. Although, another… [Read More]

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8 Comments
Filed Under: family, lifestyle, seasons

The steady rhythm of slumber

June 19, 2020 · 8 Comments
Filed Under: Faith

Dear bank of motherhood memories, I have another one worth depositing. Are you ready to receive it? Here we go… – – – He crawled in bed, a full day of play and learning nearly behind us, and I pulled the blankets up to his shoulders. The room was calm, with dusk settling in and… [Read More]

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8 Comments
Filed Under: Faith

Life around here!

June 17, 2020 · 6 Comments
Filed Under: family, lifestyle

Feeling like I need to drink more water today! Coffee is a tasty treat, and I’ve sure enjoyed my two cups today. Give me all the water, water, water :) Bookmarking a variety of fun websites: how to write a book, the results of a survey I conducted through Instagram on “mothers who read”, dreamy… [Read More]

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6 Comments
Filed Under: family, lifestyle

The secret to staying calm

June 5, 2020 · 8 Comments
Filed Under: Faith

What’s your secret to staying calm while raising four young children? she asks. She basically puts her hand on my shoulder to stop me from walking away from her in-passing question. No, really? her eyes ask loudly. I want to tell her it’s the whole “going to bed around 9pm at night” thing, that if… [Read More]

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8 Comments
Filed Under: Faith

3 questions to ask your family…

June 2, 2020 · 9 Comments
Filed Under: family

How are you processing this time of pandemic, oddity, and extreme closeness mixed with isolation?  A lot of the time, it’s “mind over matter” at our house. In just a few days, Zack and I will celebrate 12 years of marriage. Our children are young in age, close in birth year, and so fun to… [Read More]

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9 Comments
Filed Under: family

M is for “margin” and “midday”

May 25, 2020 · 4 Comments
Filed Under: Faith, lifestyle

What is it about your life that causes you to stop and take notice? Is it a pretty envelope in an otherwise stack of boring mail? Is it a cleared-off bathroom counter? Perhaps it’s the mess on the counter that you notice? The chaotic pile of shoes at the front door… Could it be your… [Read More]

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4 Comments
Filed Under: Faith, lifestyle

How to “keep moving forward”

May 19, 2020 · 8 Comments
Filed Under: inspiration, marriage

We sat on the couch, me and Zack together for an after-lunch cup of coffee. He could read the storm settling in my mind; he probably started charting it hours before it actually arrived. Perhaps that’s why he invited me to a coffee date? Either way, I accepted his invitation and sat down. It’s difficult… [Read More]

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8 Comments
Filed Under: inspiration, marriage

Rhythm of Grace

April 30, 2020 · 17 Comments
Filed Under: Faith

Seven years ago, I began waking up at wee hours to care for my firstborn nursing child, who quickly grew into a toddling child. Soon enough, I woke early to care for another nursing child. And over time, though rather quickly, I birthed and nursed two more little ones. Suddenly my mornings were quite noisy,… [Read More]

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17 Comments
Filed Under: Faith

Life around here + FAQ

April 28, 2020 · 4 Comments
Filed Under: family, for fun, lifestyle

Good morning, last Tuesday of April. This morning I feel fascinated over my experience with motherhood, how it came upon me slowly during those first few weeks of gestation, then later, intensely as birth occurred. And now, seven years in, we’ve settled into a family rhythm that continues to fascinate me. Life around here is,… [Read More]

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4 Comments
Filed Under: family, for fun, lifestyle

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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
“We are preparing to wind down for the school ye “We are preparing to wind down for the school year with just a few more weeks of intentional table lessons. We will then transition to a lighter learning schedule during the summer months. Today I am grateful for the books and resources I’ve read that have helped keep me in my own lane. (Visit my blog to see a personal favorite.)

Even now, three years in, I appreciate the reminder to stay on the path that was designed with intentional thought just for me.”

✨ see #maggiewhitleydotcom for the full post ✨
I took off my “comparison / contemplation” gla I took off my “comparison / contemplation” glasses last month and it’s been soooooo good. See also: sooooo hard (because life is never and/or). I’ve been writing more, reading more, spending more time outside. Talking to friends faces and smelling their detergent. My heart feels lighter. I’m sharing a few updates on my blog if you’d like to read? 🌾🤓blog reading & writing is a much better pace for me. You too? Link in profile.
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
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