Working hard to make sure this is a weekly staple here on KaraLayne.com and getting back into the groove of it. So, here’s to casual Friday!

These days we are staying home a lot still, trying to continue enjoying the quiet and slower pace, while also searching for our next move. We will forever be grateful for this temporary home that allowed us to make the move here, but it is time to move on. Not to mention, we are busting at the seams here!

Our current lease is up in June and we are hoping that everything falls into place for us to buy our first home. However, we are keeping our options open. Between wanting to be in the right area, but also feeling inspired that now is the time to buy some land, it could go either way. A lot of late-night Zillow scrolls and a whole lot of Pinterest pinning for now! Not to mention the weekend drives to different areas that have piqued our interest. The kids are just as involved in the process and I hope they look back on this all with fond memories.

Current Home Project

You know what 2020 needed the whole time? Projects! Talking with Jarett the other day and I told him that I felt like I got wrapped up in the outside world too much last year. I mean, I guess a lot of us may feel that way given the events that we are living through. I told him I refuse to do it again. Bring on the projects and may my hands and mind be busy building, creating, and beautifying things!

Last weekend was the start of finally tackling this chair. It was a Facebook Marketplace find and the material I found for it is a simple ticking stripe. I just needed the motivation (ironic since that was my word I chose for the year!). It was definitely built properly since it took this past weekend just to remove the material, padding, and all of the staples. This weekend I will be sanding it down and hopefully getting close to the final look! I’ll make sure and share peeks into the progress this weekend over on Instagram.

Favorite Photograph of the Week

Yesterday I found myself watching Blair read a book to Brooks. I could have listened to her all day. She is turning into such a strong reader complete with those “R’s” that still aren’t there yet which makes it even cuter. And she even overacts certain parts of the story. Much like her older brother where she gets a lot of her personality from. If you watch my IG stories you know exactly what I am talking about. Anyway, I realized I had the biggest smile draped across my face as I watched the two of them. 

It will always be in the little things – the reminder of why life is just so darn good.

P.S. Dragons Love Tacos is one of Brooks’ favorite books – it is so cute! I have collected that one and many others that our family loves over on my Amazon affiliate page if you are looking for some.

Reading List for 2021

Speaking of books, I would love to make sure I am consuming one book per month – at the least. I find that I am more positive, more creative, and more successful when I am constantly educating myself. I don’t enjoy fiction books because I would much rather be watching a movie. However, self-improvement books are my jam. So here’s my lineup (and added links from my Amazon page if you want to grab one and join me!):

January: The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon 

February: Traction by Gino Wickman

March: 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John C. Maxwell

April: Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker

May: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

June: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

July: Contagious by Jonah Berger

August: You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

September: The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt

October: Standing for Something by Gordon B. Hinckley 

November: Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen

December: The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone

My book collection can be found here which has many others that I have read, loved, and just maybe read again.

About That Staying Focused Thing

We all know the saying… idle hands are the devil’s tools. Or is it workshop? Either way, I believe the concept of it is derived from scripture in Proverbs. I don’t know about you, but 2020 was almost an entire year of feeling idle more times than not. We cannot control outside situations, but we can choose what we consume. And we can choose where our energy goes. Sitting around, reading the latest headlines, listening to the latest news brief? What is that ultimately doing other than making us feel drained, angry, or fearful? I will not be a slave to the shenanigans of the media and our government who, frankly, I wouldn’t trust babysitting my children. Why would I allow them to live rent-free in my head?  We have a life to live now and every day is a day to live it. 

So for me? I am limiting my time spent consuming social media. My goal is to be present for those in my community, checking in on them, conversing, and then getting off. I am going to be relentless with my morning schedule. When I am, I am mentally and emotionally stronger in the best ways. (You can read about my morning schedule in this post and I do have plans to share more about it more in-depth coming in the next few weeks). I am going to stay busy with projects that I have wanted to accomplish for our home, but have wasted time on. Designing, decorating, and collecting pieces that make our house feel like home and continue rebuilding after leaving everything we owned back in Arizona (it truly is a process). I will be pouring my heart and soul into everything I do here. I am going to continue working on cultivating a well life, to put my health first, and to continue inviting others to join me. My goal is to prepare our family in all the ways this year so that we can live as self sufficiently as possible so that we can thrive no matter what the circumstances. And so we can be confident to face anything that comes our way. 

And my goal is to pour myself into my family – into Jarett and the kids. Because the power that comes in cultivating a place of peace and comfort in our homes? That will conquer all. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, my friend. And let me know if you dive into any of those books I listed above – I would love to hear how you liked it.

Here’s to staying focused on what is most important!