Happy Friday, friends! This week has been a little crazy as our little ’60’s home is being renovated…I know…again. I have always grown up in a one bathroom home and to have an extra half bath in our house has been a delightful luxury. Things are about to get a bit more luxurious though thanks to All-Pro Renovations as they add a shower in our guest bathroom this week. You can’t even imagine my excitement that we will have TWO showers. I also am remembering how hard it was to juggle a family and one bathroom and have come to appreciate the luxuries of multiple bathrooms all the more.
On a superficial note, I am also quite excited about the pretty subway tiled walls, hex tiled flooring, and pretty painted planks that are going on the ceiling. I can’t wait to show you soon since I have NO DOUBT this will be on the happy list in just a couple of short weeks!
A couple of fun housekeeping things on MomAdvice. First, Sundays With Writers is back for the new year on Sunday with a VERY special writer who is sharing a little of her heart and the story behind her book with us. In all honesty, I can’t believe she answered my email so this is a really special one for me. Secondly, our Wheat Belly discussion is on my schedule for Monday and I’m very excited to be sharing my thoughts on that book with you. Third, it was requested that I continue sharing my book reviews with you here so on the last Friday of each month, plan to meet me here for a monthly recap of what I’m reading each month instead of the happy list. Yay!
Here’s the happy for this week!
A New Podcast Addiction
Although I have had to say farewell to my Serial podcast addiction, I am able to handle it so much better than I expected thanks to the new Invisibilia podcast. Invisibilia (Latin for “all the invisible things”) explores the intangible forces that shape human behavior – things like ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions. Although, I have to say, that description sounds quite drier than what it actually is.
Each week there is a subject of exploration and real people who struggle with it. I listened to, “The Secret History of Thoughts,” and “Fearless,” which shared the story of people who struggled with things like thoughts or fears (or lack thereof) and then the show shares the scientific & psychological research behind each topic. It kind of reminds me of Oprah meets This American Life. I really have enjoyed the first two episodes immensely and can’t wait to listen in on the next one today!
Little House: The First Five Novels (IN ONE!)
I had a bit of a Laura obsession when I was younger and I am thrilled to be seeing the Laura gleam in my daughter’s eyes now that we are reading these books together. For Christmas, I asked her grandparents to get her this Little House reissued classic from Barnes & Noble. The book costs a mere $18 and has the first five novels in one book. The inside has a calico print, it has a ribbon bookmark, and the pages have golden edges. It is just a treat for your bookshelf and a treat to read with your child.
Emily & I finished Little House in the Big Woods this week and we just started Little House on the Prairie a couple of nights ago.
I can really tell she caught the Laura bug when I was making her dinner last night and she said, “Oh, I wish we had our own pig so we could slaughter him like Laura’s family does.”
Ummmmm….
No.
After we finished reading it, I nestled the book with all of the other pretty classics I have been collecting and she pointed out the fact that 1. This was not a book for MY bookshelf and 2. Was I enjoying this book that was not my gift as much as I was enjoying the Taylor Swift CD that was not my gift in our car? I had to explain that I thought it might be easier to find the book on my shelf and we have to keep the CD ready for her so that I can play it right when she gets in the car off her bus.
I’m not sure she’s buying it- but I sure am loving her gifts this year! 🙂
A Documentary for the Whole Family
Our family is still doing our Docu-Pizza nights and last week I stumbled upon this film, “Living on One Dollar,” that is currently on Netflix. Four people take on the challenge of living on less than $1 a day in Guatemala. This challenge is something that 1.1 billion people face in our world every single day and they attempt to do just what they do on this amount of money. They show what it would be like to try to get a loan if this is your income, what it would be like to give up your schooling to keep your family fed, and the real issues that those in poverty face every single day. This movie is so beautifully told and shot that it really brings perspective on just how lucky we are to live such a privileged life. I wouldn’t say it made me HAPPY (except the sweet, sweet ending), but it made me THINK A LOT about how we could do and be better. And that, of course, makes me happy.
We talked a lot about this one after it was done and how we could be better stewards of all that God has given us. After clearing out my pantry and fridge just days before, it brought to light how much better we could be doing with eating at home and wasting less food. This is a small switch that we all could do to free up more funds to give to those in need- what a wonderful thing.
It really is a good one for the whole family and I definitely recommend it over your next homemade pizza night!
*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though. Check out past editions of It’s the 3 Little Things!
Now it’s your turn! What’s making you happy this week?