I love the start of things. Beginnings are always so exciting and fresh. And the beginning of a new year? The MOST exciting and fresh. I have been making New Year’s resolutions/ intentions/ goals for as long as I can remember. (See my past years here and here.)
2024 Intentions:
Make healthier choices. Choose nutrient-heavy foods instead of the junk I normally reach for. Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day. Eat to fuel my body– I have a bad habit of not eating enough good foods and feeling tired and yucky.
Cook more meals at home. We waste SO MUCH money eating out. I enjoy cooking, for the most part, it’s just that after the first month (or week), I run out of things to make. I need help. I need suggestions. Please scroll to the comment section right now and leave me all your dinner ideas.
Build our savings account. I want to be intentional about saving more money in 2024.
OAL (Our Alabama Life). This blog. I love it. I love writing and sharing and choosing/editing photos and owning this little slice of the internet. Through the years, I have let it slide when things got busy. Not in 2024, though. This is our year =)
Less TikTok and Netflix, more reading.
Do you make intentions/ resolutions/ goals for the new year? Do you stick with them? Share all your tips and suggestions (or even your own intentions!) in the comments.
We rang in the New Year with some of our favorite people. Early in January, Kyndall decided that she wanted to graduate early, so we frantically began preparations for all that entailed. Jase celebrated turning 8 with ALL the birthday parties. He also began his love of duck hunting. Our first senior event for our fast-forwarded senior year. Prom dress shopping with my girls. I wrapped up January by turning 38.
February
Valentine’s Box for school. Valentine’s gifts from friends. Beta Club inductions for Libby. Volleyball tournament in Atlanta. Jesse Murph concert and pajama party in Nashville. Baseball season begins.
March
Auburn vs. Alabama basketball game at Coleman Coliseum. Girls trip to Nashville for Broadway and volleyball. Papa is announced “2022 Cattleman of the Year”. Prom #1. College tour #1. Leg waxing (EASILY one of the top 5 funniest things that happened this year.) Gulf Shores + Orlando vacations (stay tuned for blog posts).
April
Easter celebration. Flashlight egg hunt at Pops’ and GraGra’s house. Prep for Prom #2–pedicures for everyone. Prom #2. Beauty Walk for Libby–1st Alternate. All the baseball.
May
ALL THE GRADUATION things. Awards Days. New Orleans + Carnival cruise for Maggie’s Senior trip. (stay tuned for blog posts).
June / July
Lake days. Celebrating Todd turning 13. More baseball. Cheer Camp in Tuscaloosa for our All-American cheerleader. Weekend getaway to Dauphin Island.
Waterpark visit. Late nights at the race track. Cheer banner pictures. More lake days. Lineman graduation. Lauren Spencer Smith concert in Atlanta with my girls. First attempt at a 15th birthday celebration for Lib (failure). Family celebration for Libby. Rock the South for Kyndall and Levi.
August
More waterpark fun. Celebrating Kyndall turning 17. Second attempt at a birthday celebration for Libby (this one was successful). Family game night. Back to School events. Libby gets her driving permit.
September
Friday night lights. Ice baths. Homecoming festivities. Powder Puff football. Millie. Wedding celebration for the Thornes.
October
October began with some dark, heavy days but we tried to find the bright places when we could. We had spend-the-night parties, built living room forts, and made candy charcuterie boards. We visited Puerto Rico. We welcomed Henry, the goose, to the farm. Annual Halloween party shenanigans. Extremely rare family dinner.
November
Basketball begins. Jase’s first deer of the season. HSV > ORL: Disney World. Thanksgiving celebration at Panama City Beach. (stay tuned for blog posts).
December
Kyndall and Levi’s first kills of the season. Photos for GraGra by the amazing Mallory Hall Photography (aka Mal-Mal). Gingerbread trains. HSV > SLC for Utah family vacation. (stay tuned for blog posts).
2023 was a tough year. We lost too many amazing people and hit some rough patches for a while. But we had some truly great, core-memory-moments, too. And always, we will continue to look for bright places among the dark. Here’s to 2024 and all the adventure it may bring!
Christmas 2023 was filled with the people I love, a few days of much-needed rest, and LOTS of laughter. We spent the week before Christmas in Utah (Thank you, Pops and GraGra). I can’t wait to blog all about that amazing Christmas gift.
We kicked off our Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve. We attended the candlelight service at our church, which is easily one of my favorite Christmas traditions. Later that evening, my mom’s side of the family all went to my sister’s house to eat and swap presents (see photo evidence above).
On Christmas morning, we all woke up bright and early to see what Santa brought. We also enjoyed a big Southern breakfast–biscuits and chocolate gravy, bacon, eggs, and all the coffee.
On Christmas night, we all go to Pops and GraGra’s house to play Christmas games and it gets VERY competitive. We look forward to these games every year–GraGra gives out prizes, but the biggest prize of all is the bragging rights =)
Our Christmas celebrations aren’t quite over yet, either. We had to postpone the West family Christmas due to sickness, but I can’t wait to get together with them soon!
**Post written in collaboration with Sierra Hansen and Basic Invite.
Being in quarantine has really got me down recently. To cheer myself up, I’ve decided to start planning for the holidays. And when I say holidays, I mean all of them. I’m getting ready for everything from Halloween to New Years. We don’t know when this pandemic will end, so I’ve decided to be ready to social distance for everything. Here are my plans for getting through the next six months six feet apart from everybody.
For Halloween, I’m not sure if I want to hand out candy or not. I don’t want to get sick, and I don’t want to get any kids sick either. If I do give out candy I’ll make sure it’s all individually wrapped pieces, and instead of handing it out in person, I’ll leave it out on my porch for trick-or-treaters to grab themselves. I will be dressing up my dog and I in matching Halloween costumes. We might not be able to go out in our matching outfits, but I can always post pictures online to show my friends and family.
For Thanksgiving, I’m going to celebrate with my family via video chat. I have a few family members that are in the at-risk category for contracting covid-19, and I don’t want to run the risk of getting them sick. Although we most likely won’t be all together for Thanksgiving, being able to connect with each other virtually will certainly be better than nothing.
My plans to celebrate Christmas this year is to throw a virtual party and send out Christmas cards. I love throwing a party every year, but with the pandemic may mean I’ll have to change my plans somewhat. While a party over video chat may not be as fun as an in-person party, it will still be nice to see people and catch up with friends. For my friends that can’t attend my virtual party, I’ll also be sending out holiday cards. I love using Basic Invite for my cards. All of their cards are customizable, from the font size and style to the color scheme. They have great holiday cards and photo Christmas cards. I think I’ll put photos from Halloween of my dog and I dressed up on my cards this year. That will be adorable! Check out Basic Invite if you’re planning on doing holiday cards, you’re sure to find something you love.
I hope things get better for all of us in the next few months. And whether we are in lock down til New Years, or things open back up, I hope your holiday season is wonderful. Stay safe!
A spa treatment at home may not be your top concern right now, but it is the perfect time to give your body some attention! Spas may not be opened everywhere due to the risk of exposure to the coronavirus but, as a busy mom, you need some time to pamper yourself. Below are at home spa treatments you can do at home.
Natural skincare for your daily routine
You can bring the spa life home by using natural products from the Blue Lagoon, yes that same resort in Iceland! The Blue lagoon products for healthy skin are made from bioactive compounds present in their geothermal seawater such as silica, minerals and algae. A little bit of these magic products can arrive at your doorstep directly from Iceland!
Seaweed body wrap
Seaweed, according to evidence presented by the US National Library of Medicine suggests that it contains anti-ageing benefits. Also, other studies conducted report that seaweed can detoxify the body. You can purchase seaweed for a body wrap from online or at local health stores and wrap yourself in green goodness!
To prepare:
Using pure, unflavored seaweed, soak it in bathtub water at room temperature. Drain the water, as you apply the soaked parts of the plant to parts of your body and finally relax in your bathtub for 15-20 minutes.
DIY massage oil
For a massage, you definitely need someone to do it to you, but you can prepare for DIY massage as a contribution to the activity (hello husband or wife). To ready the oil, get a container and add jojoba oil or any other lightweight oil of choice. Add a few drops of essential oil like lavender, vetiver or vanilla for balancing and calming effect. Avoid powerful essential oils unless you are sure of your ability to blend.
Pay a visit to Lush and get a bath bomb.
Think of a bath bomb in this way; soaking yourself in a fizzy, intoxicating scent and gorgeous colors. You can take your bathing routine to another level by using Lush bath Bomb products, take your time and try all of the different flavors!
How to prepare a bath bomb
Fill your tub with warm or cold water, then drop your bomb. To make the experience more magical, you can add essential oils, and for sensitive skin, add rose, oat milk and lavender for calming effects.
Deep conditioning hair treatment
You can have your hair shiny and lustrous with a natural at-home treatment! Mashing an avocado up and directly applying on the hair moisturizes it and at the same time nourishes. For protein treatments, apply beaten egg and wait for a minimum of ten minutes then clean with cold water.
After trying some of these at-home projects, you will enjoy the fulfillment of learning new skills and also saving a few pennies! Who knows, maybe after the pandemic you’ll continue your spa treatments from the comfort of your home!
It finally warmed up enough to plant our garden! Justin and Jase spent a few ours making sure we would have plenty of watermelon, okra, squash, and all of our other favorite things.
Desperate times call for desperate measures 🙂
Kyndall invited a few friends over for some “socially distanced” fishing.
The kids have been riding all the horses and donkeys, almost every day. I am so thankful we have room to roam and animals to play with. It has made quarantine so much more fun!
I forced Papa to take a selfie. He wasn’t happy about it, but I sure am!
Work day on the front porch. I miss my classroom, I miss my students, I miss my coworkers, but I could definitely appreciate some “work at home” days next school year!
Introducing Moose. Having three kids means you have to have three dogs, right? Technically, Moose is Jase’s dog, but we all love him TONS!
Full disclosure: I am not super upset about quarantine. I have loved this slower pace and being able to spend so much time with our family. I am not in any hurry to jump back in to the busy schedule from before. Right now, I’m just soaking up and appreciating this time!
This post was written in collaboration with Mary Davis.
When you consider exercising, your mind most likely goes to cardio exercises like running and walking, or lifting weights in the gym. However, if you are looking for the best exercises to do at home, read on. You do not require any equipment for these exercises because you use your body weight for resistance.
1. Plank
Planks refer to full-body exercises. Not only do they affect the core muscles while maintaining the position, however, they also work the muscles of the legs and arms. The good thing about a plank is that you can set time for your grip and always try to exceed your objective. Doing the plank may seem very simple, but your form must be perfect so you do not hurt your wrists or back, and there are also a lot variations to the basic plank- these are some of the best planks for beginners to try.
2. Squats
Squats are a vital component of bodyweight exercises. While mastering the correct form of squats is important, this exercise is simple to do anywhere and requires no equipment. Jump squats are also great as they create stability in the lower body and legs. Squats are as well recognized to work the glutes. And in case you have a chair, you may use it for lunges or split squats.
3. Lunges
Even though lunges are more difficult to maintain, they are a great lower body workout without weights. Stand in an athletic posture for a lunge. You will then push your left foot frontward and bend down to prevent your right knee from reaching to the floor. Then explode back to a standing position. You keep on repeating the process.
4. Push Up
Push-up is a great way to promote upper body muscles and strength. To do a pushup, start with your hands at shoulder height in a plank position. Then, slowly lower the body till your chest is fairly above the floor, then push back into the plank posture. Repeat the process as often as possible. Push-ups are a way to get up where you can do dips and pull-ups.
5. Crunches
Crunches are a standard basic exercise. They chiefly train your abs, which are a portion of your core. The core also includes the oblique muscles located on the rims of the trunk, along with the muscles of the pelvis, hips, and lower back. These muscles work together to assist in stabilizing your body.
6. Mountain Climbers
Even if many people consider mountain climbers like a lower body exercise, they are great for all muscle groups in your body. To do a mountain climber, begin in a plank posture. Then raise one knee to your midsection. As the knee extends to the floor, prepare to take your other knee to the mid-section. Repeat the process as long as you like. Mountain climbers are performed at a fast pace, hence go as quick as possible.
7. Burpees
Burpees are an exercise that is certain to assist you to tone your whole body while exercising your upper body, lower body, and core. In this exercise, you stand with your feet apart. When you start, squat down by pushing the hips back and bending the knees. Push your feet back from a squat position so that you land to a plank position. From here you bend down and jump in the air. If you go down, duck again and repeat this process. The exercise is tough but yields great results.
In case you are short on time but still need to stay in shape and workout without significantly affecting other parts of your life, now you may do so with these effective exercises.
Desserts by Libby. She LOVES to bake and has made strawberry pretzel salad, multiple cakes, and so many cookies and muffins!
Dirty board. UNO. UNO Dare. Yard Yahtzee. Headphones. Game after game to help keep ourselves entertained.
Reading all the books.
April 3. Staying home is no longer just recommended, it is mandatory. Our lives didn’t change very much because we had already been following the rules, but it is still worth documenting.
Tornadoes trump Corona.
Remaking an Easter picture in between storms. With paper towel masks, of course.
On Friday, March 13, we began preparing for ways the Coronavirus might affect us. By Saturday, schools were closing for an “extended Spring Break” and closing dates moved from Wednesday to Tuesday to Monday. Gatherings were reduced from 500 to 250 to 50 to 10. Every news briefing issued new guidelines.
We decided to “quarantine together” with Pops and Gra-Gra, Mallory and Micah, and Hannah. We had been together every day pre-quarantine anyways, so we might as well do this thing together, too.
Scenes from Quarantine:
ALL THE HIKES. We are blessed to have room to roam and boy, have we roamed. We have hiked every square inch of the farm acreage, multiple times.
Fishing, fishing, and more fishing. If bad turns to worse, we have plenty of fish in the pond that can become dinner.
Missing my students and coworkers like crazy!
At-Home Church. In our pajamas and with coffee. Not such a bad part of quarantine 🙂
Snapchat caption says it all. Justin needed an escape 🙂
Taco Mama, Curbside Pick-Up.
Masks. AKA: new shopping attire. Disclaimer 1: Jase hasn’t been in any stores–he was just trying his mask on for fun. Disclaimer 2: Justin’s N95 mask is one that he has had for YEARS and uses when he mows.
Quarantine STINKS, but I keep reminding myself how blessed we are. I am able to teach virtually, and while it is zero fun, I’m still working and getting a paycheck. We are having more family dinners and family game nights and family time. We are safe and healthy. We can get through this, together.
We kicked off January 2018 with Jase turning 3 and me turning 33.
In February, the girls in our family (plus Sherry) went to see Kelsea Ballerina and Walker Hayes in concert at the Alabama Theater.
March was highlighted by a family road trip to Texas (that deserves multiple blog posts of its own).
In April, we celebrated Easter.
May brought about Mother’s Day. Our school hosted Muffins with Moms and we hosted a Mother’s Day lunch at our house. Libby graduated from elementary school and began preparing to move to middle school.
June kicked off with a dance recital for Libby. We celebrated Father’s Day. We took a family trip to Navarre Beach and discovered a new favorite spot. We ended June with an early 12th birthday celebration for Kyndall.
In July, Libby celebrated turning 10 with a “glamping” party.
August brought the beginning of school for the girls and I. Libby moved over to the middle school and started 5th grade, while Kyndall returned to school after a brief virtual school hiatus and started 7th grade. Justin and I celebrated our 14th anniversary. Kyndall and I both started a new adventure with volleyball–her playing and me coaching.
In September, we attended an Alabama versus Auburn volleyball game in Tuscaloosa with Jess and Lily Kate to celebrate Lily Kate’s birthday. We also celebrated the wedding of two precious friends, Ryan and Emily.
October saw the beginning of middle school basketball for Kyndall. We packed Justin up and sent him to work disaster relief through AT&T in Florida for the remainder of 2018 (and some of 2019). The girls hosted their 3rd annual Halloween party at our house.
November brought a much needed visit from Justin (after him being gone for 5 whole weeks) and family Thanksgiving festivities.
In December, we celebrated Christmas (of course). We took our annual family trip to North Carolina to go snow-skiing (which deserves a post of its own!). And Justin turned the big 4-0!
During the year of 2018, our highs definitely outweighed the lows. I have learned that the older I grow, the faster time flies. I have learned that it takes a village to raise a family and I have the absolute best village ever. I have learned to enjoy each moment and I can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store!
