Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Chocolate Cafe

The first of so many 'lasts' this spring! Filled with oh so many emotions... 











Senior speeches 





























 

Monday, February 24, 2025

February Book

I posted back here about some reading I'm doing this year. And back here was my January book review.  

I love books. Oh my goodness, I surely do! 

💖I love the book in our family room 

💖I love the picture books in our playroom and the 'chapter book' library that grew and grew as my girls grew and grew

💖I love reading aloud to them still {in the summer when we are finally all together, the girls and I dive deep into two books, one fiction, one nonfiction}

💖I love my classroom library and something wonderful that I call 'Open the Magic'

💖I love my Bible, my devotionals, my saints books, my prayer books

and... I love my Sally Clarkson books. 

I was a little bit worried about the book I chose for February. Although I whole heartedly agree with her concepts and ideas, I felt that this one might just be a bit too 'past' for me. My girls, after all are 21 and 17... so maybe it was a stretch to read this one. But I believe, oh boy I surely do believe that there is no 'done' with parenting. I want to shape and guide, support and nurture, disciple and pour into their hearts until my very last breath. My goal is to get them to Heaven. 🌟

So with a little, 'I'm not sure this is applicable anymore' feeling, jumped in. 

And oh boy I was wrong... it was wonderful!

Uniquely You by Sally and Nathan Clarkson

This book follows one that was written a while ago that I read last year after Abigail was diagnosed with clinical OCD. It's called Different. Different is raw and Sally really opens up about what could be thought of as embarrassing details from her life raising an ADHD, OCD child. I wept reading this book because I finally felt that someone got it. I also raised an ADHD, OCD child and forever Scott and I kept to ourselves the details of just how difficult parts of parenting were. But finally we felt heard, seen, justified in the challenges we faced. {we also raised a child with Attachment Disorder and trauma from adoption} 

What I loved about this book, Uniquely You: 

 "There are three principles that will guide you through the journey in this book: to learn how to accept, affirm, and delight in your children

- to accept your child is a radical act. It is learning how to see them with unwavering eyes, no imagining them as you want them to be or trying to fit them into a particular mold, but genuinely seeing what they are in their capacities and limitations, their hopes and fears." 

Well, I could just have stopped reading right there in the introduction. How many times did I try to change, wonder how I could mold my girls? Too many to count. I believe that it is a lifelong journey to accept your child for who they are. 

- "to affirm our children is to go a step further... This step requires a willingness to use words of life and to make them a central part of your relationship with your child. You go beyond simply acknowledging in a neutral sense what their unique makeup is; instead, you make them feel that what they are is acceptable." 

- "to delight in your child is step that happens in your own heart... unconditional love paves the pathway to delight where we learn to celebrate our precious child." 

There are several chapters and topics covered: 

💙 Fearfully and Wonderfully Mads

💙Personality Types

💙Learning Styles

💙Big Unique Dreams

💙Love Languages

💙Heartfelt Discipline

💙Outside the Box Minds

💙Friends and Relationships

💙Lifegiving Community 

I wish I had more time tonight to dive deeper into all that I starred, circled and underlined! Just trust me, if you are a parent {of any age} read this book. I know I will again and again! 

Sunday, February 23, 2025

This Week At Just Add Faith Trust and Pixie Dust

This Week at Just Add Faith Trust and Pixie Dust Blog 

 Monday

February book review

Tuesday

Chocolate Caffe

Wednesday

A Look Back at College Concerts

Thursday

A Peek into Spring

Friday

Anna's Concert 

Saturday

Senior Photos in the Snow

Sunday

Sunday Surprise (photos from my phone) 

Valentine's Day and Anna Plays in the Pit in her College Musical!

I do really love Valentine's Day. But golly, it can kind of be a tricky and tiring day for me with twenty-one nine and ten year olds. They S U R E are excited about passing out and getting a box full of those little notes and cards. They come in the classroom so thrilled to give me the sweetest little heart boxes of chocolate (and I don't tell them that I don't eat chocolate so into the teacher's room it goes). They are darling and oh so sweet and I try my darndest to remember just how my girls were in fourth grade so I can be the teacher they need me to be that day. 

But it does leave me wiped out a bit. And I hate that my family gets my 'leftovers' on Valentine's Day. I know now of course they my girls are older and don't need anything special that day but I think that's why it makes me want it even more for them. So I shop, picking up little things here and there right after Christmas is over. I sent Anna back for the spring semester with a bag to open on February 14. I love that she waits all of those weeks even though no one would know that she opened it as soon as we dropped her off in January. And I wrapped up Abigail's things the night before and set the table with as much pink as I could find. 

Dark, and oh so cold on Friday, February 14th. This is basically the way our kitchen looks after I come down in the morning. But that bit of pink and tissue paper had me all excited that I took the time to find a few things for sweet Abigail. 


We decided it would be a better idea to open in the afternoon maybe during dinner since we had to get going but she did let me snap a cute picture of her in her hearts sweater. 


So after coming home I was glad we waited since the light was so much better!


Abigail had a viola lesson and it gave me a chance to get ready for our evening. I so wanted to shower, get in pjs, and go to sleep (holidays as a teacher will do that to you) but I had another 'little' girl waiting for me in another state that evening so up we went! 

And boy was I glad we did! Anna played in the pit/orchestra for a college musical and it was the last weekend. I was so proud of her for that! And we were so excited about seeing it! 


During intermission we were able to get a peek into the pit! 



And after we hung out in her dorm room for a bit (even though it was like 11pm at least) before heading home! A long but happy week! 












Sunday, February 16, 2025

A Little Valentine in the Kitchen and more!

All I wanted white white white white in January. I crave that after the sparkle of Christmas. But now I'm ready for some color again. And so decorating the kitchen for Valentine's Day is such fun. It's all pink, after all!


I love taking out all of the pink (and still love the red gingham for the sink skirt). 
It's so fun to walk through my house and grab anything that's pink... 
teacups
plates with delicate pink flowers on them 
a heart
books
so much! I do adore pink! 



This is actually just a card but this mama is so darling. This image inspires me to do the everyday with a bit of cheer and loveliness. 


I found this red heart and knew it would be perfect for February above my kitchen sink! 



 

Fireside Dinners

This winter we've really been loving some fireside dinners. 

The winter also allows us time to choose recipes (that Scott makes) from cookbooks that are cozy. This simple soup came from the Tasha Tudor Family Cookbook. I love it so much! Every recipe I've made from there has been amazing! (oh her meatballs!) 




Around the end of February I start longing for more sunshine, longer days, birds chirping, Easter... but then I'll miss fireside cozy dinners. So I am content with the snowstorm last night and the ice this morning as we are cozy, safe, and home. 


Sunday, February 9, 2025

Abigail's Fall Senior Photos

On a glorious Sunday afternoon in October I took Abigail to a park in our town - a place where I've been taking pictures of her since she could just walk. 

And I took these: 





















And I smiled. For the daughter she is. For who she is becoming. For her love of life and that viola. For her faith. And for a front row seat to watch all God is doing in her one little life. 

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