For many years, my jogging stroller contraption was my ticket to any sense of “silence” and “solitude.”

Those words are in quotation marks because this setting is not the true definition of either. I had to keep my expectations low, so I didn't get frustrated by inevitable interruptions.

Hours were not flying by when I had six children eight years and under, but I had it pretty good.

My babies slept in a separate room within days of being born, and most of them consistently slept through the night within a few months, though my last one pushed the envelope here.

Still, there was always the possibility of an interruption (or more) on any given night—a reality of six young children.

I'm leaving my wonderful husband and six kids at home in a few weeks and flying to join my mom and siblings at a cottage by a lake for several days.

I have been revisiting our home systems to ensure things go smoothly while I'm away, and this practical blog post will share some of my thoughts and practices on meals, chores and the big one, laundry!

I link to resources and previous posts on these topics as well.

When home systems flow, they facilitate physical, mental and emotional space for the more soulful parts of living, like relating and creating!

Here are my Top 3 Home Systems:

January has been full of video calls, rapid tests, lifting my mom’s walker in and out of my van for her hospital visits with my dad, and racing out of the hospital parkade to get home too late after visiting my dad.

Even if your year is beginning in bliss, with the wind at your back, at some point we all experience a season of struggle or crisis—let’s not mention two years of a pandemic!

I’m so grateful there were many helpful things already established in my life to guide me forward in this season.

As I reflect on these 4 next right things in crisis, consider how you can be prepared when trouble comes!

Do you desire peace in your home far deeper than clean surfaces and ordered closets?

I know I do.

While those things do bring me a level of peace, I love what Kendra Adachi in The Lazy Genius Way says:

“Efficient systems fail to deliver if they’re implemented without kindness.”

I am grateful to say that after years of struggle and restarts our family usually reflects realistic daily rhythms of work and rest in a loving and functional home.

We don't get this perfect every day, and I still obsess about straightening my throw cushions instead of connecting with a child’s heart—but we are all growing!

When the beginning is marked with plus signs, flutters, and first breaths, the end is oh so quiet.

Like the final time I held my toddler to breastfeed, or when I unknowingly stuffed a dirty diaper down the diaper genie for the last time, or when the crib slid out the door in pieces on Mother’s Day weekend.

My sixth baby is turning three this month and over the last year, I have said goodbye to a decade of birthing babies.

Do you sometimes feel unclear on what you are doing, or do you struggle with decision-making?

I do.

And then I return to my roots and reevaluate everything.

Creating a clear vision will help us dance into this next season, so we can set boundaries and make commitments with discernment and even joy.

One of the first times we hung out she whipped up stacks of pancakes, so the kids and I could stay for supper since my husband was away on a backcountry trip.

Lindsay’s casual hospitality was refreshing and I learned a lot about her big heart, as I asked questions about their family’s fostering and adopting story.

Today you get to eavesdrop on some of the questions I asked at our playdates and glean some great tips if you are on the journey of fostering and adopting, or desire to support a family on this journey.

Camping is one of our family's favorite ways to bond. But puke, poop, pee, sick-babies, sand, smoke, mud, cold weather, and bug bites means bonding isn’t always bliss.

Camping with young children is not easy but it is worth it!

As grubby fingers reach out to you at the campfire, as eyes widen with the discovery of a new creature, as your once babies cheer for you at the bottom of a steep bike trail and as children of every age cuddle up for another chapter, you are assured these messy adventures are the magic they need—we need!

Many nights I'd knock on my parents' door to process my heart's questions or struggles. One night, as my parents were quietly praying for me, I knocked on their door. The Holy Spirit had convicted me to apologize after a rough day.

In the safety of our homes, we get to teach our children how to handle freedom and choice!

But first, we need to manage our anxiety so we can protect our connection.

For those of you who take your deepest breaths in nature and love getting your hands in the soil in the spring, I am right there with you!

This is such a hopeful time of year as we witness the seasons change and feel the sun’s warmth.

Currently, a large portion of my time is devoted to seeds. Purchasing seeds, sowing seeds indoors to get a head start on the season and caring for seedlings. I will always be amazed at the capacity held within a tiny seed and marvel at the miracle of a seed transforming into nourishing food or beautiful flowers.

How imaginatively creative is our God who designed life to grow from a seed!?

For the first part of 2021, we are unwrapping what it means to live soulfully—which includes the body, mind, and spirit.

My intention was to get into some of the nitty-gritty of fitness and nutrition in this post, but on a walk last week my mind traveled in another direction. 

A direction I feel God smiling on.

The internet is stuffed full of links, articles, research, and apps on every fitness and nutrition plan you could imagine.

So before I share my sliver in a pie bursting with options, let’s get to the heart of fitness and nutrition—the why.

Christmas was magical growing up. There were family gatherings, special traditions, piles of gifts and food, and a focus on the gift of Jesus Christ. I couldn’t have asked for more.

But in the last decade, I have found the ‘more’ something to fight.

While it is sad many Christmas traditions will look different this year, during a pandemic, a quieter Christmas sounds like a gift to me!

In recent years I’ve felt more dread than anticipation when opening my online Christmas folder.

Is your laundry system working?

In most areas of life, a good system relieves overwhelm.

I came across the Fly Lady many years ago and appreciate the practice of daily contributions to keeping my home in order. This doesn’t mean everything is perfect all at once, but it means I have peace of mind knowing my home is being consistently maintained throughout the week.

With eight people living under one roof laundry could be a big deal—but it isn’t!

Preparing daily meals is practical, incessant and spiritual—whether it be for yourself or a small army.

Imagine getting a last-minute call that overnight guests are on their way and breathing a sigh of relief as you head to your freezer because there is ground beef and onions already browned for tacos, spaghetti sauce ready to be heated and poured over your choice of pasta, a hearty soup, ready to thaw as you make biscuits, or maybe a fruit pie, lasagna or chicken casserole that simply needs time to heat in the oven!