Denim Daisies

 Hello, I’m going to take a week break as I have one more week of the 4:30 am shifts. I still wanted to remember the favorites from this week though and so here’s some highlights in photo form! 😉 Thank you to Andrea from  Momfessionals  and Erika from  A Little Bit of Everything  for hosting this sweet link party! 💛 I love linking up for this online event and it’s a good motivator for me to keep up with my gratitude journey and documenting so many favorite things throughout the year! The best playroom nursery helper!  A friends birthday at the movies to see Lilo and Stitch! Alms park 🥰 Soccer at Hyde Park Elementary  Jamie helping me to review sloth videos from Costa Rica Jamie’s picnic and “sandwich” Arnis learning how to help make dinner and peeling zucchini for a sauce. 😋  Scootering at Robert’s Park. Skipping rocks at Cherokee Park. Rhino sandwiches. Pajamas that caught my eye and so I’m contemplating putting these on my wish list. 🙂 That...

 Hello, I thought I'd do a little check in from my low level new years goals: Overall - I think that I've been a lot better on showing gratitude this year. This blog has helped a LOT with that as it allows me to take dedicated time to focus on the positives and all that I have to be grateful for.  Low level: 1. Sending a card a month - this one has been moderately successful. I've sent several cards, but I've sent even more thank you cards which is something that I am terrible about (mailing a physical card, not about saying thank you!). 2. Family Bible Time - We're through Numbers as of today, it's not an every day thing, but we're still accomplishing it. The boys especially love Bible Ice Cream and both will stop anything they are doing and run to the couch so we can do this cuddle time together in the afternoons.  3. No spend weeks - We're currently on one and outside of teacher gifts/birthday presents for others we're doing really well with this....

 Hello! Happy anniversary to my husband Sulev, the best man I could imagine. He is the best husband, dad, and amazing cook! #winning Thank you for leaving a sweet note for me as I headed out this morning at 0415 and thank you for supporting me through all the ups and downs. I’m so grateful for you! I’ll add in a bunch of pictures later today! 🙂 💛Jessie  A favorite memory was flying you for the first time and I am excited to make it happen again. Watching your spouse love on and play with your kids is the best feeling in the world. Leo absolutely adores you. Disney princess half marathon!  New Year's Even Ball at the Pinehurst Hotel. Such a fun memory. I wasn't there for this exact moment but you showing me that Jamie was ok was the best feeling. Getting home from Afghanistan and just wanting to be with you... and sleep. I love our Disney adventures! 

 Hello, Teddy is jumping on today to say how much he loves his Dad! 🥰 💛Teddy

 Hello, Today is a holiday that is about celebrating and remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.  If you have a moment please read about Jenny, CPT Jennifer Moreno. She was a wonderful energetic person who gave everything. Every Memorial Day I want to pass on her legacy, ensure people continue to learn about her, and it’s another chance to brag on such a bada$$ woman. Jenny 10 year tribute JBSA If you have a few moments check out Guerrera  on YouTube. 💛Jessie

Hello, I managed to hurt my thumb so I’m typing this really slowly and it will be short. I want to highlight my friend Melissa. She is such and awesome example of authentic life, loves her people big, and has one of the most generous hearts. We get together about once a week with our boys and it’s just always a happy and comforting time. I’m so grateful for her friendship.  💛 Jessie

 Hello, This week has been a bit of a busy one and so the past couple of days that extra ten minutes of sleep won out over blogging. I’m happy to report though that we have officially started summer break and we are READY! I’ve decluttered a few items on my schedule that were adding stress instead of joy so I am fully embracing my priorities this summer of spending time with my boys! 🥰 Thank you to Andrea from  Momfessionals  and Erika from  A Little Bit of Everything  for hosting this sweet link party! 💛 I love linking up for this online event and it’s a good motivator for me to keep up with my gratitude journey and documenting so many favorite things throughout the year! Here we go with some favorites from this week! 🙂 1. Swimming in the backyard! Last weekend was significantly warmer so we took full advantage of having the pool set up and the boys LOVE it! It’s a ten foot diameter and about two feet deep so it’s big enough to paddle. But small enough to fi...

 Hello, Tomorrow is Jamie’s last day of school!!! Arnis and I are spending some 1:1 time and he’s helping me on a lot of errands this week. One such errand is dropping off donations.  This week the goal has been to finish decluttering and donating old bags and books. Our entire family loves reading and so we have hundreds and fulls book shelves on every level of our house, but a lot of these just aren’t used anymore so it makes more sense to bring them to our public library donation drop off where they will go into circulation. We could still check them out if we want to read them, but we don’t need to store additional hundreds of books that haven’t been touched in years.  Books were always something that I was convinced that I’d never declutter, but as I get deeper into minimalism, it makes more sense to me for them to go somewhere where they can be used and I’m not the one responsible for maintaining them anymore. That’s all for today, wish us luck! 💛 Jessie

 Hello, Arnis’ preschool graduation was Monday and it was the sweetest thing. His class did so well with their songs and following the program. I’m so grateful for his teachers and look forward to staying in touch with them.  Arnis wanted to celebrate with his graduation brunch at the Echo Diner so he could get his biscuits and gravy and it did not disappoint. 😉 Jamie also had a fun day cheering on Arnis and then having a water day where the fire department made a giant sprinkler for the special education students with their hoses! 🥰 Have a wonderful Tuesday!  💛Jessie

 Hello, Our backyard is definitely full though in the best way as every inch of space is being used for urban gardening or summer activities like a small pool and swing set. That being said it’s more important to me that the inside remain decluttered so that the necessary clutter outside to keep the kids active but still cool this summer doesn’t get to me.  There’s, however, a balance in decluttered and still kid-friendly play spaces and so I’m so grateful that our minimalism journey has led to us embracing a LOT more creative play toys that our kids are spending more time with. So today my simple pleasure is watching my eldest build a pretend fire and roast some cloth marshmallows while taking a break from swimming. It was really special to watch and experience with him. 🥰 💛Jessie

 Hello, Yesterday I got sick… like awful don’t leave the bathroom for hours sick. I was supposed to go to an all day event for the Y and by 4:30am I had to text and just let them know there was no way. Not sure if it was food poisoning or something picked up from going on two field trips with the kids this week, but yikes that was no fun. Cancelling something because I’m sick is not like me. I NEVER do this. The only other time this has happened in years I ended up in an emergency surgery with internal bleeding type of never do this. However, thanks to a lot of internal work and reassurance from Sulev I was able to Saturday. I took time to rest and recover and I’m so grateful for my spouse’s encouragement as sitting still is not a natural state for me. So Saturday was for resting and a mini shout out to my husband’s work for the free pepto! 😳 The chewables are actually pretty easy to take, more so than the chalk pills or the liquid and so I highly recommend! 😅 💛Jessie

 Hello! School is so close to done and we can feel it!!! I am so grateful to my kids teachers, seriously they are the best. I hope that they take a little time for themselves this summer as they spend so much time and energy devoted to everyone around them, they deserve a break if it’s possible. 🥰 Thank you also to Andrea from  Momfessionals  and Erika from  A Little Bit of Everything  for hosting this sweet link party every Friday! 💛 I love linking up for this online event and it’s a good motivator for me to keep up with my gratitude journey and documenting so many favorite things throughout the year! Here are my favorites from this week: 1. Switching to my summer breakfast routine of vanilla Greek yogurt with granola and frozen berries. It feels good to eat and just makes me happy.  2. Decluttering old books that have been boxed or unread for at least five moves. We’re donating them to the library and I’ve been rucking them over this week pack by pack t...

 Hello, I fully understand that Mother’s Day can be a complicated holiday for many whether it’s due to difficult relationships, loss, or absence entirely. I see you and please feel free to skip over this post. I do not want to cause pain for anyone, but I also do want to celebrate and show gratitude for what I have been entrusted with.  My guys were extra sweet this year and respected my wishes to avoid thing and presents and just focus on time together. That said we had crepes, went to church, and then got our gear together and rode on the bike trail over to 50 west brewery to play in the sand and eat burgers. While I ended up with an epic sunburn (just me and no one else in the family thank goodness) despite my somewhat zealous approach to 50spf sunscreen for all of us, it was an amazing day! Below are some pictures that I want to remember from this day and I’m so grateful for my boys, my amazing spouse, and my daisies whom I love and pray for every day. 💛Jessie

 Hello, I’m linking up again this month to join  Shay from  Mix and Match Mama  and Erika from  A Little Bit of Everything ’s link party for “Let’s Look”. I love that these topics are a glimpse into our normal, everyday life and it’ll be so much fun to look back years from now and remember what we were up to! My wellness routine these days is a lot less singularly focused on sprints or gym time and a lot more of a holistic approach so here we go!  Mind 1. I do a lesson of Duolingo Spanish every evening as part of my quiet time to keep this skill up. I’ve always loved learning languages and even tested in the Army as having a strong aptitude for this, this feels right to me. (I already speak French and my Arabic is still there albeit a little rusty, but if I want to ever do sea turtle conservation work I feel like Spanish might be the way to go. 🙂) 2. I spend time volunteering with the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Getting out is important to me dur...