We’re one month into the New Year already and I’m loving these slower days of winter.
They say summer is for “lazy days” but I’m convinced winter days feel “lazier” for me.
I get to bed earlier because it’s dark earlier, I don’t have any yard work to do, and we rarely ever do house projects in the winter. So (as you’ll read more about below) I have a little extra time to myself these days, and I don’t hate it!
Also, after 3 years of long floppy hair for Simon and a year for James, they finally let me cut it off (I may have bribed them with football cards) and it looks so good!
FAVORITE MOMENT = Lunch with Dave
Due to the fact that Dave teaches in a different school system than our kids, our schedules don’t always sync up perfectly.
Sometimes this is annoying (like when a break doesn’t fall on the same day/week) but sometimes it’s really fun (like when the kids have a half day and Dave doesn’t).
A couple of weeks ago, we picked up Subway after the kids got home and enjoyed a fun lunch with Dave in his classroom. The kids thought it was very fun and gawked at all the big high school kids!
FAVORITE ROUTINE = Fun Fridays
The way my schedule worked out this year, I usually end up with some free time on Friday afternoons (and all 4 kids are in school on Fridays).
So, if I work hard to get all my housework, laundry, meal prep, church stuff, and online work done, then I usually spend a few hours on Friday doing whatever I want.
Last week, I went to a couple of different thrift stores and snagged several amazing bargains for our house, for the kids (some birthday gifts too), for myself, etc.
On other Fridays, I’ve tackled a mini home project (fun for me), baked while listening to a favorite book or podcast, watched a Netflix movie, or gone out to lunch with a friend.
I don’t get this luxury every week, but at least a couple of Fridays every month have been “fun Fridays” and I’m enjoying them while they last!
I feel recharged and ready to go when everyone gets home for the weekend, we usually have a big meal for dinner (since I had extra time to cook) and it’s been a great way to kick off the weekends this school year.
RELATED READING: 6 Strategies to Take Your Weekends Back
PAST FAVORITE = Every Mother Program
I first stumbled upon the Every Mother Program in the spring of 2020, when I was searching for a way to heal my Diastasis Recti — and I had to find a way to do it from home since everything was shut down.
I started with the free 7-day trial (it’s now a 3-day trial), and was honestly flabbergasted by the immediate difference I noticed in my lower back pain (or lack thereof!)
After 1 week of doing the breathing exercises, my lower back pain was almost nonexistent. And after finishing the 12-week program, my abdominal separation was healed!
RELATED READING: How I healed my Diastasis Recti and back pain!
Since healing my Diastasis Recti in 2020, I have tried some of the other programs offered through my Every Mother subscription, and I’m currently gearing up to start the Pelvic Pain program as I’ve been having a bit of pain in my left hip/groin area (nothing major).
If you are struggling in any of the areas below, I’d highly encourage you to give the free trial a go (and feel free to reach out to the Every Mother customer service… they’ve been very helpful for me.)
FAVORITE HAIR TOOL = 3 Barrel Waver
The girls always request “wavy” hair, but I couldn’t ever get it just how they wanted it to look with a crimper, flat iron, or curling iron.
So… I Googled “how to get wavy hair” and was shocked to see an actual hair tool specifically for waves (12 years of super short hair and I guess I stopped keeping up with hair trends).
I found a deal on the Conair 3 Barrel Hair Waver and all our wavy hair dreams have come true!
It heats up super fast and only takes a few minutes to do the girls’ entire head of hair (5 minutes for Clara and 10 minutes for Nora’s thick mane).
And the waves stay all day!
Clara’s silky straight hair won’t hold the wave overnight, but Nora’s thick coarse hair easily holds the wave overnight and through the next day if she showers with a shower cap.
I thought I had more pictures of the girls’ wavy hair… but apparently not. You can get a feel for what the 3 barrel waver does in Clara’s bone-straight hair via the picture above. Nora’s hair looks absolutely fantastic!
My hair is still a bit too short for this chunky of a wave, but I’m super excited for summer when I can hopefully do beachy waves.
RELATED READING: How to Clean Hair Brushes and Combs
FAVORITE BOOK = Home Ground Flour
I’ve had this book for more than 3 years now and I still refer back to it almost weekly.
There’s so much information and so many really great recipes… it’s a kitchen staple for sure!
If you’re interested in grinding your own grain (or just curious about the different types of flour available) you should give this book a read.
And if you or anyone in your family has issues with gluten, you might be surprised how many different gluten-free “flour alternatives” there are.
GET THE BOOK: The Essential Home Ground Flour Book
FAVORITE MEDIA = FB Marketplace
Most of you know I have a love-hate relationship with social media…
Thanks to The Newsfeed Eradicator extension on Chrome, I can no longer see my newsfeed for Facebook or Instagram (since 2020!) However, I keep my accounts open in case I need to find contact information for someone and because our kids’ classroom teachers often send pictures and messages out through Facebook — so I can still get those.
I’m also semi-addicted to Facebook Marketplace (both buying and selling) and I can’t use Marketplace unless I have a Facebook profile.
Just last week, the kids assembled all our Lego Duplo sets and I sold them (in 2 days) on Marketplace. We then used the money to buy a ping pong table and a double basketball arcade game for our outbuilding (both purchased from Marketplace).
We decluttered a bunch of toys we had outgrown and got 2 super fun new things that we’ll hopefully get tons of use out of these next few years — win win!
I also needed volleyball shoes for Nora (for only 8 weeks) and found some for $5 on Marketplace, just a few miles away.
It’s crazy how quick and easy it is to buy and sell on Marketplace — especially when using Venmo for payment.
As someone who has always loved buying used, Marketplace is definitely one of my favorite things!
RELATED READING: Why we buy almost everything used.
FAVORITE CLOTHING = Big and Tall Socks
I realize this is a strange “favorite thing” for me… but the socks are actually for Dave. However, they are one of MY favorite things because when I finally started buying Dave Big and Tall dress socks, he instantly stopped getting holes in the toes.
Dave wears a size 12 shoe, and technically “normal” men’s socks are for size 9-12. I always joked that he must have super sharp toenails because his dress socks constantly had holes in the toes.
However, a simple switch to the Big and Tall socks (for shoe sizes 12-15) has prevented so many holes, and saved us lots of money on new socks. 🙂
These are the socks we really like. They seem to be good quality, come in a 6-pack, have a variety of different colors, and are fairly reasonably priced.
FAVORITE RECIPE = Personal Pan Pizzas
It’s been years since I first shared our kids’ favorite DIY personal pan pizzas — but it’s still one of their top meal requests (especially on Saturdays when they are all home).
These days, I usually make my own pizza crusts, but store-bought crusts work wonderfully well too. It’s just so fun to let everyone choose their own toppings and create their own individual “masterpieces”.
RELATED READING: Homemade Personal Pan Pizzas.
FAVORITE ARCHIVED POST = A Mini No Spending Challenge
I usually try to implement a no-spending challenge for one month each year… and February is the shortest month, so it’s a good month to try it!
I’m personally not doing it in February this year, but I have in the past, and it’s always eye-opening to realize how quickly and easily we spend money on things that probably aren’t 100% necessary.
You can make your own “rules” for your no-spending challenge (I obviously still pay our bills and buy groceries). The point is simply to be more intentional about how, where, and why you spend money each month.
Read the full posts here.
That’s it for me this month.
If you’re interested, you can scroll through ALL my Favorite Things posts HERE!
Lissa says
I thought Dave taught a at Christian school and that your kids had to attend that school ?
Andrea says
Dave does teach in a Christian school and our kids do attend a Christian school — but not the same one.
We literally have DOZENS of Christian schools within a 30-minute drive from our house, so our kids go to one that’s just 2 minutes down the road. Dave teaches in a different town. He also teaches high school, and our kids are all still in elementary school.
Laura says
I totally get the socks for size 12 mens shoes! My son is a 12 and his always have holes in the big toe. It is hard to find socks sized 10-13! I’ve had good luck with Nike everyday socks sized 10-13 for him. I can never find them online but usually can find some at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Andrea says
thanks for this tip — I’ll keep an eye out for those nike socks!
Tammy says
This Newsfeed Eradicator is exactly what I have been looking for. I work from home at a computer all day and it’s too easy to take a break and scroll Facebook. I want to be more intentional with my time but it’s hard to totally disconnect when I run two business Facebook pages and our town’s community Facebook page. Perfect! Thank you!
Andrea says
you’re welcome Tammy — hope you love that extension as much as I do!
Liane says
I love the mini no spend! As you know we redid out kitchen and I spent a lot on organizers but I did it the right way. Mostly it was stuff for drawers. We only had a couple before and now have 7 plus two pullouts. And I put all the food in pop tops oxo containers. I did not add it all up but it was a lot. I also have decided I’m done! It’s done! So a shopping moratorium is in order. But here’s the catch. I cannot get hubby on board with this at all. He’s on Amazon every day buying some odd ball thing or another but that should not make me not stop myself from unnecessary spending. My two worst bad habits is going in the goodwill after dropping off my donations. And I get my nails done every two weeks. That’s not a luxury. My arthritis prevents me from doing them. The bad habit part is getting a latte at Starbucks afterwards. Actually Starbucks coffee with an occasional muffin is the only food I buy that I don’t make at home. And giving that up twice a month should be easy. I’m a sucker for stuff from Jane or Zulily or ThredUp so to quash those temptations I unsubscribed from their emails. I do need to buy food and paper products but I just got my cleaning supplies from Grove so I can avoid that online temptation for a while. Sometimes it’s the dangling free stuff if you just spend more or save shipping by spending more. Those are dastardly hooks! Wish me luck.
Meghan says
Love it any time you post, Andrea!
I noticed you mentioned some hip/ groin pain. I started having hip stiffness in my late 30s that I tried to “fix” with more yoga/ stretching. It turns out that I have a hip impingement. Over time, the movements I was doing tore my labrum. When I explained my symptoms to my PT sister, she sent me to a hip doctor immediately. I wish I would have said something to her years earlier, but I didn’t think it was a big deal. I hope your situation is nothing like that, but I know I wish I would have heard of this prior. Best wishes!
Andrea says
Thanks Meghan — I will definitely keep this in mind and maybe seek out a hip doctor. I have been doing lots of stretching (in attempts to help the tightness I feel) but maybe I should seek more professional advice 🙂
Christina says
I agree 100% on the ‘lazy days of winter!” We love it being cozy and slowing down a little and being inside looking at the snow globe out in Grand Rapids. Although this last month was crazy with babysitting Grands and helping a niece with a booming new business. All good though and great energy.
Blessings to you and yours! I hope you LOVED this sunshine like we did today!
Andrea says
yes! We are loving the sunshine — Dave and I are headed out on our after school walk right now and all the kids are playing in the snow 🙂
Kim says
Clarification:
So, is there a way to use FB Marketplace without any other part of FB? I think I would rather have the flu that be on FB.
Andrea says
YES — you can install the news feed eradicator extension on Google Chrome and you will be able to log into Facebook and use Marketplace without ever seeing your newsfeed or what anyone else is posting. I’ve been doing it for 3 years and it’s GLORIOUS!
Liane says
Oh goodie! I despise Facebook too. I’d rather have Covid again that use it. I’m also a pretty anti Google person. But I think I can bear to install chrome on one iPad and use marketplace. Craigslist in my area is dead and Freecycle is not really great either for donations. The people call but never follow thru. We had Nextdoor for a while but our small group was overtaken by the “woke” and became very politicized in a bad way. Christians became targeted and it was disconcerting. So I’m so so happy to see there’s a way to use Marketplace.
Andrea says
hahah — best comment ever “I’d rather have covid again than use Facebook” 🙂
Kim says
Goodness, Clara is looking soooooo much older!
Love those handsome boys with their haircuts.
So fun to know you are getting occasional Friday afternoons free for special things.
I feel sentimental that you are now out of the Duplo/Lego business. (But what a brilliant way to get rid of lots of small parts to purchase older kid equipment.)
You remain one of the smartest women I know!
Andrea says
thanks Kim 🙂
JJ says
3 barrel waver waves look great on her! Do you use anything to keep the look? Does it hold the whole day?
Football cards are a great bribe!
Some of our favorite things have been “stations” for my kids. When I have to run errands, I give three station titles and have a rotating schedule. They LOVE this. It avoids so many fights and complaints. My husband sets a timer and supervises while working from home(another favorite thing having him home!).
An example would be:
Piano. Art. Kindle
2:30. E. O. I
2:45. I. E. O
3:00. O. I. E
I also use it for homeschooling with subjects such as spelling, cursive, and reading.
Sometimes when I need to get a huge task done that they can’t necessarily help with, I will make “playing with my toddler sibling” a station while the other 2 go outside for an “outside” station. It sets time boundaries and gives clear expectations of how to use their time.
Andrea says
I love the stations idea (especially the “playing with the toddler sibling” station 🙂 so smart!
I don’t use any hairspray, but you definitely could. We’re just loving the 3 barrel waver!
Chris says
So cannot you see anyone’s feed at all on Facebook? I was planning to close down my Facebook in a few days. I thought if I want to buy or sell something in the future, to open it back up. I am too tempted to look at people’s feeds, even if they are not my friends, and waste way too much time on it.
I am trying to have one week monthly where I spend nothing on groceries. I met my goal in January. I have also had two weeks since the beginning of the year where I hardly spent anything. We have plenty so that’s why I’m able to do it. I am not counting what my husband buys. Since he works at a grocery store, he brings homes “bargains”, etc. sometimes.
I am sure you are enjoying your Fridays. That sounds really fun!
Andrea says
Nope — nothing!
When I go to facebook or Instagram, it’s a totally blank/empty feed. The News Feed Eradicator extension actually shares a lovely quote instead of the news feed — it’s wonderful. So I can use Facebook Marketplace without ever seeing anything on Facebook.
Now, if I want to specifically search for something or someone (like to find information about when a business opens or to get contact information for a long-lost friend/relative, I can still see their profile page after I search, but no newsfeed whatsoever! It’s wonderful — I’ve been using it for almost 3 years now.
Chris says
Oh wow, I’ll have to check that out.
Chris says
I just installed it and see the same as you, except when I go to someone’s page, I still see their feed. (Someone that is not my friend – I have only 3 friends). Do you have any suggestions?
Andrea says
yes… don’t go to other people’s pages 🙂 LOL!
The extension removes YOUR feed (feed eradicator) it doesn’t remove other people’s pages. So just don’t search for other pages.
I literally just click on the Marketplace icon when I go to Facebook and that’s all I see.
However, if I need to get contact information for someone, or want to see what someone has been up to (like my sisters or cousins) I can search for their page and find their information.
Chris says
Thanks 🙂
Jenny says
What a great list! I saw in your last newsletter that you didn’t buy a true planner this year. I would love to hear more on how that is working for you as I have considered the same method! I love reading about how different people use planner/to do list systems! 🙂
Chris says
I’m also interested in reading about this.
Andrea says
so far so good — but I guess we’re only one month in!
I got a 2-year calendar so I can plan out way in advance (which I like) and it was only $3.99 (which I also like).
I just keep a running to-do list going on my pad of paper and I really like this new routine. I’ll do a post in another month so I have a little bit more experience with it!
Jana says
I am so glad you found a ping pong table, and the indoor basketball is great too! In your last post you mentioned putting a fuse ball table in the basement, and I was going to suggest that you also look for a ping pong table. These activities are great ways to connect with children in a relaxed, non-threatening way. (Just like when riding in the car.) We had a ping pong table before both of our boys were even born, and I had no idea how great it would be until they got to be old enough to “play”. Their Dad or I could go downstairs with them one-on-one, play ping pong, and chat about anything. Our sons are now in their mid/upper 20’s and they still go down to play ping pong with Dad when they are home for a few hours. (They also played a lot together as they got older, and as they had friends over.) It is well worth the investment, as is the fuse ball and basketball games. Hope you all enjoy them!
Andrea says
yes, so far we’ve gotten lots of use out of the new “toys”. A ping-pong table wouldn’t fit well in the basement, but we have tons of space in the outbuilding — and that’s where we are ALL the time in the spring/summer/fall. I see lots of gaming in our family’s future 🙂
Glad to hear your kiddos enjoyed it even when they came home from college!
Kimberly says
I’ve finally gotten some health issues resolved and my hair is growing!! I’m determined to have long hair before I die!! I miss FB marketplace. I got off all social media 3 years ago and I think marketplace is the only thing I miss about it. Have a great day.
Andrea says
oh good — glad your hair is growing back. I’m past the horribly awkward stage now, so it’s been fun to start styling my hair in different ways (after wearing it EXACTLY the same way for 12 years!)
Ashley says
I never thought about getting bigger socks for my hubby! He wears size 12.5-13 and I always blame his nail trimming habits too. Unfortunately for him he’s not getting new socks anytime soon. He came into our marriage with practically a lifetime supply, so no money spent there until his stash is gone!
Andrea says
hahahah — I did actually laugh out loud when I read your comment. Seriously, that’s a lot of socks 🙂
Ashley says
It *may* have been the source of an argument or two! Before we got married, he traveled a lot and often got stuck on site longer than planned. So to have clean socks he’d just go buy more
Andrea says
oh boy — that’s sort of hilarious for an outsider looking in 🙂
I had a (guy) friend in college who was very wealthy and he literally just bought new clothing until Christmas break — then took everything home (to California) for his mom to wash, then bought all new clothing 2nd semester until the end of the year. Craziness! I wanted to off to wash his clothing for a fraction of the price, but never did!
Liane says
This reminds me of a time my husband went on a business trip to France and the hotel laundry ironed and starched his socks and skivvies. So he went to carrefour (it’s like target) and bought enough tees, socks and boxers for two weeks. I was laughing at this also and feeling sympathetic because about a yr later he flew to Berlin in the dead of winter and his luggage got lost in Heathrow and he had only the clothes on his back so of course he went shopping. For everything. By the time he got back we had at least 20 vee neck tees, 30 prs of socks and some illfitting shirts. He wears no shoes at home so instead of the toes he destroys the heels. I buy them now from Amazon all the same color and that way if one gets a hole it gets trashed. I got a very similar color. I think they were Dockers. I didn’t know Dockers made socks but they do and they wear like iron. No pun intended.
Erin says
Looks so cute! Curious if you have the 1” or 3/4”? Thanks!
Andrea says
yes, I should have noted that we have the 1″ waver. I’ve thought about experimenting with the 3/4″ for my shorter hair, but I don’t feel like spending the money since my goal is to grown my hair longer 🙂
Erin says
Thank you!
Rhonda says
I agree with you on the lazy days of winter. Winter makes me want to stay in more often, summer we are on the move a lot more.
I’m also like you on the Facebook – I don’t use it much anymore except for Marketplace…it’s almost a little addicting (but in a good way, I think.)
I bet those kids (big and little) loved having lunch at Dave’s school. My daughter had a 3rd grade teacher last year who used to bring in his kids sometimes, and the class thought that was so cool (the teacher was at our public school, but he had 6 young, home-schooled kids that didn’t live in the district.)
I have never had great luck with finding second-hand clothes for myself. However, last month a nearby St. Vinny’s had a “Trunk Show” of really nice brand-name clothes, and they eventually marked items 75% off…I found 7 new cardigans/sweaters/tops/blazers, some new with tags, for around $80…then of course I went home and cleared out the items in good shape that I just don’t wear anymore 🙂
Andrea says
wow, sounds like you found some amazing deals 🙂
I rarely find good clothes for Dave at thrift stores (and Nora is getting more difficult too) but the younger kids and I dress almost exclusively in thrifted finds. It’s so great and I can’t even imagine how much money we save!
Donna Marie says
I just love your blog, as it is so “usable!!!”
Andrea says
Thanks so much, Donna Marie 🙂
Jen says
Kudos on still hanging in there with the long hair! I’m impressed. I have never made it past a month or so! Can’t wait to see the beachy waves this summer. Happy February to the Dekkers!
Andrea says
yes, I’m finally past the awkward stage with my hair so it’s getting fun to style it in new ways. Hopefully it will be long enough for “waves” this summer 🙂
Connie Ritsema says
A great book recomendation The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and The Book Woman’s Daughter.
Andrea says
Thanks Connie — I’ll add these to my list!
Michelle Bonk says
I just did a “Fiscal Fast” (ie no spend challenge) in January and it was great!!!
Andrea says
LOVE this idea (mainly because I love alliterative phrases!)
Also, good job you!
Jennifer says
I want to see the thrift store finds!
Susan says
Yes, I do, too!
Kimberly says
Me too!!
Nancy says
Yes me too I want to see them. There’s a subreddit of thrift store finds people post. Makes me so -rejoicing in their good deal- jealous sometimes. I started looking around our house and 99.9 % of our stuff came preloved. Even my plants are nearly dead from Lowe’s. It’s just more fun and you can feel virtuous because you are seriously recycling.
Andrea says
haha — I get it! but I’m not sure if I’ll ever be one of those shoppers who “vlog” their way through the store showing you everything they find. I’m also not sure I’d want to take the time to lay everything out and detail exactly how much everything cost — I think that would take the fun out of it for me and it would start to feel like “work”.
But maybe I’ll do it once in the future — just because so many people asked 🙂